the Children of Israel from among them Moreover it was a great while before Nebuchadnezzer would be brought to Acknowledge the Most High God therefore was he driven from men and made to dwell with the Beasts of the Field and to eat grass as Oxen and his body was wet with the dew of Heaven till his Hairs were grown like Eagles feathers and his Nails like Birds Claws Though this is the least degree of Knowing and of Acknowledging God yet many do not thus Acknowledge Him in their hearts They Acknowledge Him with their Lips but by their VVorks deny Him The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God 2. To Acknowledge God is not only to Acknowledge his Being his Holy Essence or Deity but also that he is the Absolute Soveraign of the whole World and Sole Governour of all things in Heaven and Earth I know the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all Gods VVhatsoever the Lord pleaseth that did he in Heaven and in Earth and in all deep places v. 6. There is no bounds to his Power but his own Will and what his Soul desireth that doth he God's Government is purely Arbitrary and none but his ought to be so His Will His Law yet is His Government most Righteous because He can Will nothing but what is Just and Good Our God is in the Heavens he hath done whatsoever he pleaseth He hath Power over all both Men and Devils over Kingdoms and Nations to dispose and determine them and all things in them as seemeth good to him Who shall say to him What dost thou He that made all things or gave being to all must needs have Power over all and be Lord of all 't is He that maketh War and commandeth Peace that sets Up and pulleth Down that Kills and maketh Alive 'T is the Glory of God He hath such an Unlimated and an Uncontroulable Power seeing he is Perfectly Just and Righteous as his Power is Inconceivable so his Will is Incorruptible I the Lord have spoken it it shall come to pass and I will do it I will not go back As if the Lord should say It is my will it should be done and therefore it shall be done His Counsel shall stand and he will do all his Pleasure And this Brethren we should know and this it is to Acknowledge God But 3. To Acknowledge God Is to Own and Acknowledge that all things come to pass by his All-wise Providence According to his Eternal Decree either by his special Commission or by his Permission to say all things come to pass by Gods special Commmission is to make him the author of Sin but this know assuredly that God did Determine before time that he would do such things or permit or suffer such things to come to pass and be done or else it was impossible it should ever be done All the Motions of the Creature even the most violent and to appearance Contingent Motions of the Creature are under the Direction yea under the Dominion of God All things Brethren Move as they are Influenced by his Power and Directed by his Wisdom Is there any Evil in the City and I the Lord have not done it Afflictions do not rise out of the dust Job 6. 5. What Evil soever cometh upon Kingdoms or Nations Cities or Families or particular persons 't is by God's Wise Providence Evil came down from the Lord to the gates of Jerusalem Mich. 1. 12. God did not only make the World but he disposeth of all Affairs and Matters therein as he pleaseth the government of the World is as much of God and his work as the making of it there is in all Occurrences or Transactions of Men a Wheel within the Wheel and this we ought to know and to acknowledge This is to Acknowledge God 4. And from hence it followeth That to Acknowledge God is to Acknowledge his Omnisciency The eyes of the Lord run too and fro through the whole earth to shew himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is upright towards him 2 Chron. 16. 9. If God had not a perfect knowledge of all things how could he govern the World the Text that I mentioned last shews two things 1. The perfect Knowledge God hath of whatsoever is done throughout the whole Earth 2. His Providence over all even over the whole Earth in ordering and disposing of all things therein and particularly his care of his own People His eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men Psal. 11. 4. The Lord doth not only know all things and persons but he hath a clear understanding of them All things are naked and manifest to his eyes with whom we have to do Heb. 4. 13. The Eye of God signifies the Knowledge of God he sees as well what is in Man as what is done by Man He knows our thoughts a far off before they are conceived he knows what they will be there is nothing done nor intended to be done but it is known by the Almighty his Eyes are like a flaming Fire of a piercing and and penitrating Nature The eyes of the Lord are every where beholding the evil and the good Prov. 15. 3. Man sees the Face the outside but God searcheth and discerneth the Heart the Eyes of Man may be deceived but the Eyes of God cannot Christ 't is said needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man Joh. 2. 25. this shews that he is the Eternal God for thou knoweth all things saith Peter thou knoweth that I love thee 21. 17. God's sight of Man and of his Ways are Universal and Everlasting he saw all things with one single look from Everlasting to Everlasting he knows all things past present and to come For his eyes are upon all the ways of man and he seeth all his doings there is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Job 35. 21 22 and as God is a God of Knowledge so to acknowledge him is to acknowledge his Omniscience 5. To Acknowledge God 'T is to acknowledge and own his Infinite Wisdom or that he is a Most Wise God And as he made all things in Wisdom so he governs all things in Wisdom also no Men have any true Wisdom but what they receive from God the In finiteness the Omniscience the Unchangeableness and the Simplicity of God c. are Incommunicable Attributes but the Wisdom of God together with his Holyness Justice and Mercy are Communicable i. e. God doth give or communicate Holiness and Wisdom c. unto Angels and Men God indeed is said to be only Wise because none hath Wisdom of and from themselves but he nor are any so Wise as he his Wisdom so far excells the Wisdom of Men and Angels that none are said to be wise but the Lord only none are originally Wise but God the Wisdom of God is not a separable
Afflictions Troubles Reproaches Trials even all kind of Adversity to cōme from God for whoveer may be the Instruments yet God is the only Agent and Orderer of them 13. And lastly To Acknowledge God is to love him above all and to seek unto him in all we do and to strive to promote his Glory he that is our chief Good should be our last end our ultimate end in all we do we should aim at the Glory of God and to carry on with all uprightness his Interest to the utmost Power that is in us in the places and stations where we are set by him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart with all thy Soul and with all thy Strength So much as to the first thing proposed to be opened namely What it is to acknowledge God Secondly I shall shew you in what ways of ours more particularly we should acknowledge God or wherein we should acknowledge him 1. In entring upon no Civil nor Religious Action without consulting with God in and by his Word we should put this Question to our own Hearts viz. Is the thing that I am a going to do good is it warranted by the word of God is it according to his Will will it tend to his Glory is it not only lawful but is it also expedient if the matter I am a going to do be not justified by the word of God though my end may be good yet the thing is evil may I do it and not offend God or will it not hurt my Brother or cause him to stumble Were such Questions put by all Men to their own Hearts it would prevent many Evils in Men's Civil Actions Also when Men enter upon any Religious Duty they should consult the word of God see whether the thing be warranted hath God commanded me to do this thing have I Precept or Presedent to justifie me in doing of it Brethren we are not to consult Men General Counsels nor Ancient Fathers but the Word of God 't is not Custom here will carry the Cause though it be of some hundred of years standing if from the beginning it was not so nor is it sufficient though many Learned Men nay Holy Men assert it to be a Truth if it be not written in God's Word Where God hath no Tongue to speak we should have no Ear to hear nor Hand to do but alas some Men more consult their own Carnal Reason and Interest their own Profits their own Passions than God's Word and his Glory many peruse their unwarrantable blind Zeal like Paul when a Pharisee who verily thought he ought to do many things against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth though it was to the making a fearful Slaughter of Christ's blessed Members 2. Men should acknowledge God in all their Purposes or about what they think to do or intend to do before they put them into Execution Man sometimes purpose and God disappoints Go to now you that say to day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain whereas you know not what will be on the morrow 3. Men should before they enter upon any Action Civil or Religious seek to God by Prayer for VVisdom and Direction and also for Strength Aid and Assistance and they that do not this do not as they ought Acknowledge God and thus I say in a more general way we should do though it be in the smallest matters and in the doing of things that are Lawful to be done if they would have Success therein But to descend to some few particular things and cases about the doing or entering upon the doing of which we should seek to God and so in a right way Acknowledge him 1. When any Young Men or any Persons begin to set up for themselves or to Trade in the World they should Acknowledge God or seek to him for Counsel and Direction about that Affair that they may succeed well therein and receive a Blessing from him for in vain do Men rise up early and sit up late unless God be sought unto and is pleased to prosper them in their Undertakings How was Jacob Blessed as a Shepheard which was his employment who in all he did Acknowledged God and called upon him Riches got and not by the Almighty or in a lawful way will prove a Curse to him that getteth the 't is a God Provoking Evil to say in thine heart My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me Wealth but thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get Wealth Deut. 8. 17 18. Riches and Honour which are a Blessing and tendeth not to puff up a Man or Woman cometh from God 2. Men and Women should Acknowledge God in changing their condition this is a great thing and the Comfort of Mens Lives much consist in this matter A Prudent Wife is from the Lord Prov. 19. 14. But alass now a days People in this matter act like to the wicked Men of the old World They take them Wives of all which they choose Gen. 6. 2. Which is charged upon them as a great sin and one cause of the Destruction brought upon them by the Flood How did Sampson suffer by his Dalilah whom he chose because he liked her well perhaps she was fair but he consulted not with God but How well did Abraham's Servant succeed in obtaining a Wife for Isaac his Master's Son by Seeking unto God and Acknowledging him You Young Men and Women that truly Fear God see you to it that you in the choice of Yokefellows Acknowledge God consult his VVord choose such that are Godly such that Believe in Christ let his VVrod be your Rule in this matter Be not unequally Yoaked with Unbelievers your Peace with God and the Comfort of your Lives depend on this matter do not as the Sons of God in the old world did and as Sampson did viz. Choose such as you like but such as God likes and approves of 3. We should Acknowledge God in Removing from one place to another from one Countrey to another or from one Habitation to another or from one Trade or Employment to another We should first seek the Kingdom of God Will this remove make for the profit of my precious Soul Will it turn to the Glory of God It should not be What Air or what Earthly Profit may I find there where I am going but is the Gospel Preached there in the Purity of it can I have communion with godly Christians there or Will not my Spiritual Loss be more than my Earthly gain so in the other case say Will not more snares attend that Calling I am about to enter upon Shall I not run my self into Temptations by doing it Doth not my present Employment bring me in Food and Rayment and ought not I therewith to be Content I only mentino these few Cases as
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-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
of the years whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by Prayer and Supplications with Fasting and Sackcloth and Ashes verse 3. Brethren Thus it is with us we understand by Books i.e. by the Book of Daniel the Revelations of St. John and by the Writings of good Men that the number of the years of our spiritual Captivity under mistical Babylon is near expired and that glorious things are near and therefore we should now in an extraordinary manner cry to God and acknowledge his Power and Wisdom and Faithfulness O look up the Vision will suddenly speak Thirdly How we should acknowledge God or after what manner he found in this Duty 1. In the Sense of our Sins and Sins of the Lord's People of the whole Nation yea with a through sight sense of Sin and with self abhorrence for the same Thus did Samuel acknowledge God and poured out Water before the Lord at Mizpah 1 Sam. 7. 6. and thus did Daniel he confessed his Sins and the Sins of the People VVe have sinned and have committed Iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy Precepts and from thy Judgments Dan. 9. 5. Neither have we hearkned unto the Prophets which have spoken in thy Name to our Kings and Princes and our Fathers and to all the People O what Sins are we guilty of and this vile Nation guilty of whom God hath been so good and gracious unto and saved with an high Hand and deliver'd when some time ago all was a going that is dear to us 2. With all Humility and brokenness of Heart we should acknowledge that whatsoever is come upon us is in Justice and Righteousness we must say with Daniel O Lord Righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us Confusion of Faces as at this day to the men of Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to all Israel that are near and far off c. because of our Trespasses O Lord to us belongeth Confusion to our Kings and to our Princes and to our Fathers because we have sinned How low should we lie every one of us and labour to find out the plague of his own Heart and to smite on our Breasts and say What have I done we must say It is of the Lord's Mercy we are not consumed that we are yet a People and England a Nation not yet utterly forsaken of God In our acknowledging of God we should humble our selves and pray and not only so but turn every one from his evil way so will God hear from Heaven and will forgive our Sins and heal our Land 2 Chron. 7. 14. 3. We should acknowledge God with a sense of our Weakness Ignorance and short sightedness and not trust to our own Understanding See the Context Trust in the Lord with all thine Heart and lean not to thine own Understanding Prov. 3. 5. Let not Men think their Wisdom is sufficient to act and accomplish those great Designs that they take in Hand because they are so acute and have such clear natural Parts or acquired Parts Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom nor the strong man glory in his strength Let not the Learned Man boast of his great Learning but let all know True Wisdom is from God 't is he must guide us in Judgment Brethren 't is a good sign God will not leave us in that he hath put it into the Heart of our Parliament to acknowledge God and seek to him a right way At this difficult hour it argues that they see need to ask Counsel of him and would acknowledge him from whom Wisdom to manage the great Affairs of Nations cometh and would not lean to their own Understanding God is the great Governour of the World 4. We should acknowledge God in Christ come to him only and look to him alone in a Mediator if we do not wholly acknowledge him in the Name of Jesus Christ all we do will be in vain for out of Christ he is a God of Wrath and Fury yea a flaming and devouring Fire but in Christ he is pacified and reconciled to all that so come to him Samuel well knew this and therefore he took a sucking Lamb and offered it for a Burnt-Offering wholly unto the Lord 1 Sam. 7. 9. This Lamb no doubt tipified Christ Jesus in and by whose Sacrifice only he forsaw God was appeased and his Justice satisfied and the guilt of the Sins of God's Israel removed Christ is the only way to the Father No man cometh to the Father but by me saith our blessed Lord John 14. 6. This Brethren and none but this is the right way Sinners are only to draw near to God by Christ this way is prepared for them cast up for them this is that new and living way And Saints have no other way to come to God nor to acknowledge God to be their God but only in Christ. O Acknowledge God thus God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself 2 Cor. 5. 19. God in Christ is strong to save strong to help strong to deliver Christ is the power of God and and the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 18. The glory of his Power Mercy Wisdom Justice and Goodness are all united and shine forth to save Sinners in Christ and to save Nations who look to him and acknowledg'd him in Christ. Almighty Power was seen in creating of the World and his Power in conjunction with his Justice was seen in casting the Angels that sinned out of Heaven and Man out of Paradice and Divine Power as it was joyned with Divine Mercy shone forth in saving and delivering Israel at the Red Sea but in Christ the glory of his Power Mercy and Justice and all other of his glorious Attributes are united together in sweet Harmony to save and help all that by Christ come to him nothing can hinder our Help and Succour if we acknowledge and come to him in Jesus Christ. We should acknowledge God manifested in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. not only that Christ is God as I before hinted but the reason why he took unto him our Nature and what things he hath wrought out for us how the glory of God shines forth in him We never acknowledge God in the Top Glory of his Wisdom Mercy Love Power Justice and Goodness unless we acknowledge him in Christ nor can we know him any other way to be our God nor come to him nor expect any Help Relief Pardon or Peace from him We must acknwledge what Christ is made of God the Father unto us even Wisdom and Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption He is our Life our Light our Righteousness our Strength our Peace our Food our Guide our King to Rule us our Priest to Attone for our Sins and to Intercede for us and our Prophet to Teach us