Prayers are heard Christ offers up all the Prayers of his own People with his own Incense and when he offerred up their Prayers with his Incense their were Voices Lightnings and Thunder 1. Joyn Confession of Sins with your Supplications O find out every one of you the Plague of his own heart and lie low at the Foot of God confess your own Sins and the Sins of the Nation and the Sins of God's People thus you have heard Daniel did Brethren to Confession of Sin add also deep Humiliation this must be joyned with our Prayers and Confessions nay and Reformation of Life also every one must turn from his evil way See 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my People that are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their Evil Ways then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their Sins and will be al their Land If we regard Iniquity in our hearts God will not hear our Prayers 'T is true a National Humiliation and Reformation may prevent National Judgments as in the case of Nineveb O that we could see but such an Humiliation as was among them among us in England for the Sins of this Nation are grievous in the Sight of God being attended with such Lamentable Aggravations we are a People of exceeding great Mercies but O! the Wickedness of these Days God is therefore angry with us the Inhabitants of England may see their Sins in their Punishment Doth not God touch us in our Trade and Coyn Is it not because those two things have been as it were the Idols of England or of Multitudes among us Sirs Let us look higher than to secondary Causes of these present distresses that are upon us and acknowledge God to be just in permitting these Evils to come upon the Land If we cannot find out the Cause of our Distempers how shall we find out a Cure I am afraid least this Pretended Fast should be but as a Mock-Fast or a day of Humiliation in shew only and not in heart if we see all persons reforming their ways we shall have ground to hope better things If Magistrates do their part not only in making good Laws against Vice and Prophaneness but in seeing those Laws put into due execution and they themselves and every man to turn from his evil ways and from the violence that is in his hand then may Gods Wrath and Anger cease but if not his judgment will break forth upon us Brethren God is a jealous God and will not be mocked what men sow they shall reap 'T is said of Niniveh ' And God saw their Works that they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and did it not It was not their words but their works that God looked at 't is not what we speak but what we do that will prevail with the Allmighty 1. Terror and wo to them that cast off all fear of God and acknowledge him not or do it not in truth and sincerity Thou casteth off fear and restrainest prayer before God Some men look upon it vain and uproficable to pray to God or to acknowledge him What profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances and have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts But what will these men do in the day of Wrath Judgments shall bow them and break them if Mercies will not melt them 2. Those that refuse to acknowledge God or who follow not his Direction and walk not in his Ways nor hearken not to his Voice nor wait for his Counsel he will in Wrath and Judgment leave and give them up to their own hearts lusts and to walk in their own counsel as he did Israel of old My people would not bearken to my voice and Israel would have none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own counsel God may iustly withdraw all his directing influences from such and blind their Eyes who through Pride think they have Wisdom enough to manage their own Affairs and direct their own Paths God's counsel is to men to forsake their sinful ways to embrace his Son or believe in Christ and trust in him alone and rest on his word and cry to him in their trouble but when they refuse to do this he oftentimes utterly leaves them and then they fall and bring ruin on themselves and others whose counsellers they pretend to be or chosen to be The truth is while the Nation continueth in its Rebellion against God and all Prophaneness aboundeth to such a degree as to this day it dothe what can we expect but Wrath and fearful Judgments What signifies a few formal Prayers whilst men hold fast their sins Are such Laws made and executed to check and restrain the cursed enormities of the ungodly That may tend as an effectual way to accomplish such a Reformation that God calls for Alas whilst every Mans Hand at Sea and Land is up against God fighting against him can we expect he should appear to fight for us O what horrid Pride Uncleanness Oaths and Blasphemy and all Prophaneness do we see and hear of every day 'T is a wonder the Earth opens not its Mouth to swallow them up at Land as it did them at Jemeca and that the Sea doth not swallow up our Ships and those in them they having such a wait and load in them Sin is a heavy burthen and our sins are so heavy they are enough to sink as one observes seventeen Kingdoms Moreover what Errors and detestable Heresies do abound among us And also what Divisions Discord and Animosities are there among Professors One set against another little Love and Charity being now to be found in the Earth Much Preaching but little Practise Are not many Professors as Proud Covetous Carnal and Loose as others O where is the Life and Power of Religion What can we look for whilst things are thus but some fearful calamity and dissolution But to proceed to a Use of Comfort and Consolation to such who do in uprightness acknowledge God Observe the Motive or Encouragement that is laid down in the later part of my Text and he shall direct thy Paths I cannot now speak to this part of the words as I might for want of time but certainly here is great ground of Comfort to all godly Christians yea to all that rightly acknowledge God For 1. He will shew us the right way that we might saith Ezra seek a right way none but God can lead us into a right way every mans way may seem right in his own Eyes but no mans way is right but such as God teaches and directs 2. Let our Straits and Distresses be never so great nay beyond the wisdom of Man to find out a Remidy yet God can soon direct us and all that seek to him in a way for present Relief nothing is
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
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