1. To humiliation : Isa. xlv. 9, ' Let the potsherd strive with the pot- sherds of the earth Woe to him that contendeth with his maker ! ' Poor man, if he will be contending, let him seek out his match ; let him cope with a man like himself. There, sometimes the weaker side
28 A FAST SERMON PREACHED Bi^FOIlE THE PARLIAMENT.
may make their party good ; the battle is not always to the strong ; but whenever we enter into the lists with God, he will be sure to have the best of it : Ezek. xxii. 14, ' Can thine heart endure, or thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee ? '
2. To faith ; for God, as he is matchless in point of power, so in point of mercy ; none is so able to punish, and yet none so willing to spare : Hosea xi. 9, ' I am God and not man, and therefore Ephraim shall not be destroyed.* It is well for poor Ephraim, Man's pity and mercy may be exhausted, though never so great. Many will not spare upon all the entreaty and submission that we can use. A pardon may be sought from them carefully and with tears, and not obtained ; but God's mercy must not be straitened to our size and scantling ; Ps ciii. 11, 'As far as the heavens are above the earth, so great is liis mercy towards them that fear him.'
By this general view you may guess what this meeting with God imports. More distinctly to give it you, I shall, with respect to the former instances, show you the nature of the work, and the manner of performance.
[1.] The nature of the work. It implieth three things — (1.) Humiliation ; (2.) Faith ; (3.) Keformation, or a resolution to walk with God in better obedience.
(1.) An address to God in a way of humiliation ; we must creep to him upon our knees. Jacob meeteth Esau with soft language and submissive behaviour ; and the messengers of the king of Assyria came with ropes about their necks, and sackcloth upon their loins ; ' Thy ser- vant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live.' Thus must we lie at God's feet, taking part with his justice against ourselves; though his justice be satisfied by Christ, yet it must be glorified and owned by us. This is the work of the day, to judge ourselves, if we would prevent God's judgment, 1 Cor. xi. 31. Sinners must be condemned in one court or another. In all our addresses to God, there is a use of both covenants. We must acknowledge the tenor of the first covenant just, if God should proceed according to it, though we hold him to the second : Ps. xxx. 2, 3, ' 0 Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me ; 0 Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave, thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.' Acknowledge that it is just with God to destroy us ; but, Lord, let thy servants live. Every christian must look upon himself under a two- fold notion, as a faulty sinner, and a penitent supplicant, As a faulty sinner, he must receive his doom from the first covenant , as a penitent supplicant, he must lay hold of mercy in the second.
(2.) There is required faith in Jesus Christ. The men of Tyre made Blastus their friend. Look up to Christ's intercession. Adonijah took hold of the horns of the altar, and would not let go his hold till Solomon sv/are to him articles of peace. Here we come to get an answer of peace from God ; hold out Christ as the only means of pro- pitiation. When Themistocles came to Admetus, whom he had formerly offended, he took in his arras rov Tralha, he held uj:)the young prince, and so begged acceptance. Lay hold upon Jesus Christ, keep him in the arms of your faith. When the destroying angel saw the blood of the lamb sprinkled upon the lintel, he forbore. We have no
A FAST SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT. 29
other security against the destroyer : look upon the blood of Christ, as if it were newly shed, that you may have confidence towards God. This man our peace, Micah v. 5.
(3.) A resolution to walk with God in better obedience. The king of Assyria entered into bonds to restore the cities of Samaria. Kesolve that God shall have his honour, and the obedience you have kept from him. Solomon puts Adonijah to the question, will he show himself a worthy man? Such conditions are we to make with God; vows of reformation : Jer. iv. 1, ' If thou wilt return to me, saith the Lord, put away thy abominations out of my sight.' If a man's house be on fire, he will put away the flax and straw, and whatsoever is likely to augment the flame. Our sins are the combustible matter. We all declaim against the evil of the times, but every man continuetli the practices. We deceive ourselves with general terms. Will you now give the hand to the Lord ? 2 Chron. xxx. 8, ' Now yield yourselves unto the Lord.' Give the hand ; is it a bargain ? Are you resolved to lay down the bucklers and weapons of defiance ? to cast sin out of your hearts, and out of your families and township, wherever you have an interest ? to lay aside your vanity, your oppression, your deserting of a godly ministry, and the simplicity of the gospel, your hatred of reformation, your slighting of church order, your heats and animosities ? This is matter to be done —