too hard for him to do Who is wonderful in Counsel and excellent in Working 3. God can direct and save a People when all say there is no hope when every Man despareth of Succour and Relief and are at their Wits end as it were God can lead guide and direct us Infallibly He only gives certain and Infallible Counsel there are none can defeat his Counsel no wisdom nor craftiness of Men can stand before the Wisdom of God There is no Wisdom nor Understanding nor Counsel against the Lord What Encouragement is here to seek to God 4. As he can Direct us and none can withstand him or give us Counsel which none can overthrow so he can with ease defeat all the Counsels of his Peoples Enemies nay can turn their crafty counsel to the Advantage of his own People He taketh the Wise in their own Craftiness and the Counsel of the Froward is carryed head long or as the Prophet Isaiah saith The Counsel of the Wise shall be turned bac ward Omne Consilium Captatum in Festinatione est Stultitia God can mingle a perverse Spirit and and make the Princes of Zoan to become Fools 5. When he is sought truly unto he hath promised to direct a People or Person that feareth him his special care is over such that Trust in him Behold the eye of the Lord is over them that Fear him upon them that hope in his Mercy Mind my Text He shall direct thy Paths the steps of a good Man are ordered by the Lord and be delighteth in his ways Though the Young Lyons want and suffer hunger yet they that fear God shall want no good thing He will lead the Blind in ways they knew not c. Though we are in our selves Blind and Ignorant yet if we Acknowledge Him He will lead us and will not leave us to the lusts of our Enemies Brethren we are still in God's hand and none can pluck us out my and our times also are in his hand 6. You that are Godly have interest in this mighty God He is your Father therefore he will Teach and Direct you His Faithfulness and Fatherly Affections leadeth him thus to do 7. Do you also commit your selves to him and Trust in him and will he think you ever fail such that so do The Poor committeth himself to thee Thou art the Helper of the Fatherless If unfaithful Man will not fail such that wholly Trust in him will the Faithful God not help and direct such that put all their Trust in him though our Sins be many and our miseries and dangers many also yet Brethren let us lye low before the Lord and humbly confess with the Prophet our own Insufficiency O Lord I know that the way of Man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his Steps Let us use all due means which God directeth us to or be found in our duty and leave the Issue of all to God Men not seeking constantly to God nor relying on him may be the cause they prosper not But Let it go how it will with the Land or with the Wicked therein yet saith the Prophet Say to the Righteouss it shall go well with him A dismal day must come and will come upon this Land and upon all Nations of the Earth we see already Distress of Nations and Perplexities but these things are but the beginning of Sorrows but do you that Fear God Look up lift up your heads for your Redemption draws near 8. God will Bless and give Success to such that seek to him that humbly and sincerely Acknowledge him yea in their Civil Affairs such shall find their Endeavours crowned with a Blessing and also in Spiritual matters God will lead them The meek will be guide in Judgment and the meek will he teach his ways that is the humble and lowly ones that Acknowledge God and submit to his hand and are willing and desirous to be lead directed and governed by him in all their ways in doing Justice and Judgment who are not selfish or self-seeking persons who lay not burthens on others to ease themselves but act in all righte ousness and equallity in what they do in the Station where they are set for as all the ways of God are Mercy and Truth so should all the ways of Men be especially such that are Rulers and Magistrates who are intrusted with the great concerns of a Nation or People they ought to be Men fearing God Men of Truth hating Evil if not God may justly leave them and blast all their endeavours for they are the Meek the Humble and Righteous ones that God will guide in Judgment and direct their Paths 9. Know assuredly That none Teaches like God What is Man's teaching some Glory in their Phylosophical Learning but that only fills the head with knowledge it may make Men criticks but not Christians others boast of the Teachings of Natural Reason and will receive no Principles of Religion that is above this Teacher and thereby they cast contempt upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All True Knowledge flows from God's Soveraign Grace he guides and teaches whomsoever he pleaseth he can speak to the Heart nay give a heart to understand as well as instruction he can give a teachable frame or a teachable Spirit as well as direct those whom he hath given such a frame or heart unto therefore it followeth That to teach and direct our Souls is the effect of Almighty Power Be still and know that I am God Confess your weakness your Ignorance and acknowledge my Skill my Power as if God should say No man can come to me except the Father which sent me draw him What is his Drawing but his Teaching Every one therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Men must be Un-taught or become Fools before they can be Wise I mean emptied of their own Wisdom and confess they know nothing as they ought to know Christ's Office and Work is to Teach his People He only hath the Tongue of the Learned therefore let all men Learn of him Wait upon him Acknowledge him to be their only Instructor and Counsellor and say with David Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterward receive me to Glory And thus I shall End as I Begun In all thy ways Acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy Paths FINIS ERRATA PAge 6. Line 41. for His Will His Law read His Will is His Law P. 12. L. 31. for Peruse r. Persue P. 13. L. 31. for Chooser Chose P. 21. L. 31. for Acknowledged r. Acknowledge P. 24. L. 7. for Man r. Men. P. 24. L. 10. for himâ— r. him P. 27. L. 22. for would r. should BOOKS Sold by William Marinal at the Bible in Newgate-Street and John Marshal at the Bible in Grace-Church-Street 1. BAptism discovered plainly and faithfully according to the word of God wherein is set
to our paths in respect of Civil Affairs you may add any other way or work you go about O! How doth it concern us to Acknowledge God for Preservation and a Blessing in all things even in taking Journies by Land or Voyages to Sea and when we go out in the Morning and return in the Evening when we lie down and when we rise up or enter upon any Religious Work 1. About our Receiving Retaining or Declining of any one or more Principles of Religion VVe should Acknowledg God and Consult with him in and by his Holy VVord we ought to examine and try the Point or Principle we are about to Receive or Leave Is it according to what is written Doth God's word confirm it to be a Truth Then receive it but cry to God for VVisdom and Understanding in the Case be fully perswaded in thy own Conscience from the word of God about it On the other hand if thou upon searching canst not find that Doctrine or particular Practice thou hast received formerly is agreeable to Gods word or that 't is not in thy Judgment proveable therefrom then after seeking unto God thou oughtest to reject it though many Good Men Learned Men assert and maintain it to be Truth thou art not to consult with Men nor acknowledge them to be thy rule but God's VVord To the Law and Testimony Search the Scripture Gods word giveth Understanding to the simple Psal. 19 9 10. That is a Lamp to thy Feet and a Light to thy Paths Psal. 119. 105. Men no not Ministers shall be allowed to answer for thee at Christs Bar about any Error thou hast received and dost maintain every one must give an Account to God for himself it will not be a good plea in that day to say Lord such an able Minister held this Principle Preach'd it Practiced it God may reveal some Truth more clearly to an Aquilla and a Priscilla than to an Eloquent Apollo Act. 18. 26. 2. Thou art to Acknowledge God seek to him concerning what Minister or Ministers thou dost purpose to hear and know their Doctrine well and their Lives also see that they Preach Christ that they Preach the Gospel clearly whose main design is to Exalt Jesus Christ and the Free Grace of God and particularly that they are Sound about the Doctrine of Free Justification by the Righteousness of Christ as it is Imputed and Received by Faith alone without any mixture of Mans own Inherent Righteousness O take heed this day is Perilous there are many that are Corrupters of Gods VVord and perverters of Christs Gospel thou mayst before thou art aware be undone by dangerous Heresies 3. Acknowledge God and seek to him when thou art about to joyn thy self with some Church in point of Communion Examine their Faith their Constitution their Discipline see they all hold weight with God's word And if thou art Tempted to leave a True Church because of some offence taken acknowledge God seek to him consult with the word of God least it be from Satan a Temptation and arises from thy own Evil Heart say Shall I not be a Covenant Breaker a Disorderly Person and an Evil Example to others VVill it not offend God or stumble my weak Brother Thus reason with thy Self say Shall I consult with Flesh and Blood and gratifie my Corrupt part This may deter thee from it 3. Acknowledge God and Seek to him when thou comest to hear the word of God Preached say Lord 't is thou must prepare my heart to meet with thee this day O open thou my Understanding incline my VVill move upon my Affections deliver me from Drousiness Deadness Unbelief from all kind of Pride Conceitedness from Prejudice against the Minister or any Truth that he may deliver that I want Light in What I know not teach thou me 'T is not man can reach thy heart not the Ministers Voice that can make thee Hear and Live but the Voice of Christ 't is God that can turn thee from Darkness to Light from the power of Satan unto God Thou mayest reform thy way or get some degree of Reformation by thy natural powers improved by the word Preached but 't is God alone must change thy Heart a new Heart must be created in thee by God's mighty and glorious creating-Creating-Power and his Spirits operating Influences it is God that commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness that must shine into our Hearts to give us the Light of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels that the excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us verse 7. Do not trust to thine own Power nor rebellious Will 't is God must make thee willing he must draw thee move thee before thou canst come to Christ Faith is not of our selves 't is the gift of God Ephes. 2. 8. 9. 't is God must turn thee from thy evil way and change those vicious Habits that are in thee and in all Men naturally Can the Aethiopian change his Skin c. Turn thou me and I shall be turned O! thus acknowledge God cry to him who works all our Works in us and for us 'T is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but of God that sheweth Mercy Rom. 9. 17. Did Men thus acknowledge God he would soon direct their Path and give Success to them in their Duties Ministers should also acknowledge God in their Gifts and Endowments what have they which they have not received and their own Insufficiency 5. We should acknowledge God when we come to draw near to him in the Holy Supper of the Lord it is he that must prepare our Hearts for this his sacred Ordinance also The preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue are from the Lord Prov. 16. 1. What Heavenly Comfort do we meet with or have we met with at one time more than at another How lively are our Spirits and active our Graces when God vouchsafeth his Divine Influences and quickens us in our Duties Did we muse the Fire might soon burn 'T is God must deliver us from vain Thoughts worldly Thoughts when we draw near to him and stir up our Affections and raise our Spirits therefore thus let us acknowledge him that we may set under Christ's Shadow with delight that his Fruit may be sweet to our Taste But no more as to these more ordinary ways of ours whether Civil or Religious but to proceed to that which is the chief Work of this day We ought to acknowledge God in divers special Cases 1. As in choice of Ministers to watch over us and take the care of our Souls we should acknowledge God who hath promised to give us Pastors after his own heart to feed us with knowledge and understanding Jer. 3. 15. 2. In choice of Magistrates to rule us or to represent us in National Synods and
the Lord because 't is hereby God is glorified As not to acknowledge him seek to him and trust in him doth detract from God or lessen his glory nay utterly rob him of that honour and glory that is due to him alone so hereby we give him that glory which is owing to him from his Creatures We by fearing him shew that he is God that he is our Maker our Lord and only Soveraign and by trusting in him alone we acknowledge that he is our help our strength our hope and that our dependance is upon him He is great and therefore to be feared he is faithful therefore to be believed he is good therefore to be beloved and made the only Object of our chiefest Affection he is our only Counsellor and therefore we should look to him for direction wisdom and counsel Twelfthly We should seek to God and acknowledge him for all and in all things especially in a time of trouble bcause what deliverances help or succour soever we receive it is wholly to be ascribed to him but they that seek not to God for direction and success will not look upon themselves obliged to praise God for all the mercy help or deliverance received they will sacrifice to their own Nets or Drags to their wisdom policy strength or care or to their own counsels and so admire themselves But the truth is if men acknowledge not God or neglecct to seek to him for the Mercy they want the Mercy when received may prove a Curse to them instead of a Blessing God gave Israel Food but sent Leanness to their Souls To these I might add That Gods Counsel shall stand he will do all his pleasure there is no counsel against him shall prosper he is the great Disposer of all Affairs of Nations c. and if we comply not with his VVord in acknowledging him he may blast all our hopes there is no contending with the Almighty they that subscribe not to his wise Government and exalt not him he will at last cut them in pieces In a word 'T is for our good 't is our Interest to acknowledge God as well as it tends to his Glory Lastly VVe should acknowledge God in all our Ways because God can do VVonders in the way of his working for his People when they seek to him VVhat VVonders did he do of old His Hand is not shortned that he cannot Save VVhen things are past help or remedy with Men 't is a fit opportunity for God to work In the Mount it shall be seen He can restrain the Passions of Men the Waves of the Sea and the Tumults of the People he changed Esaus's Heart to Jacob he caused the Egyptians to lend their Jewels to the Israelites he can cut off the Spirits of Princes or strike them with a Pannick Fear and cause them to fly when none pursues them He raised up new Troubles upon Saul and made him cease persuing of David when he was in danger God can soon infatuate the Counsels of our Enemies Isa. 44. 25. He frustrateth the Tokens of the Lyars and maketh Diviners mad and turneth Wisemen backward and maketh their Knowledge Foolishness He can make our Enemies to act for our good he caused Cyrus to proclaim Liberty to build Jerusalem and God's own Temple And how did he turn the Counsel of Achitophel into Foolishness at the Prayer of David These things being considered you may find there are Reasons sufficient to shew That it is our Duty in all our Ways to acknowledge God but no more as to the Doctrinal Part. I shall now briefly endeavour to improve by way of Application what hath been said The Application FROM hence it appears That it is a great and an abominable sin not to acknowledge God in every thing we go about 1. Not to consult with God is in effect to deny his Special Providence over us or that he orders all events that come to pass The truth is we here in England of late talk so much of Fortune and of the Fortunate that it seems as if we were in some Heathen Nation I am sure no man can or dares consult with God or acknowledge him in any unlawful things to gratifie their Covetous Appeties if they do let them tremble Would they have God to Patronize their wickedness Brethren we should never step one step in doing any thing which we have cause to doubt is sinful or that which we cannot safely seek to God for a blessing upon 2. Not to acknowledge God is a kind of Atheism sure such do not sted fastly believe the being of God For if there be a God that governs all Affairs why do they not seek to him pray to him trust in him as God 3. Or at least not to acknowledge God in every undertaking it argues unbelief and it doth cast contempt upon his Wisdom Mercy Goodness c. Slighting his Soveraignty Care and Providence over them Such shew their Pride and Folly with a Witness as if they were wise enough to manage their Affairs themselves without consulting with God and seeking to him a right way 4. God may for this great neglect and evil refuse to appear to help men in their necessities and great straits when matters are too difficult for them God may let them fail in their Counsels and be confounded in their Projects to convince them they are but Men and that without him they can do nothing I am persuaded that God oftentimes upon this account infatuates the Counsels of Men Ye shall conceive Chaff and shall bring forth Stubble Though men may like Achitophel give suitable counsel as cunning Statesmen yet God can obstruct or hinder such concerned to take it or from closing with it but rather to take other counsel to their ruine as Absalem took the Counsel of Hushai to his utter overthrow and this was all from God the Lord had appointed to defeat the good Counsel of Achitophel to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalem 5. It shews that such think it is in vain to seek God possibly they judge the Almighty doth not concern himself about their matters they are too low too mean matters for the great God to take notice of or else they conclude he is unmindful of his own word and promises to them that seek him or otherwise they shew they have no faith in his word nor dependance upon God But did they give credit to the Holy Scripture all their folly herein would soon vanish for is it not said that an Hair of our Head nor a Sparrow falls to the ground without God he hath interressed himself in all our concerns and if we seek him he will be found He never said to the seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain 6. It shews that such men do not take notice of the operations of Gods hand nor observe what he hath done in times past nay perhaps before their own Eyes but a