Fourthly. His goodness, kindness, love, tenderness. Our souls must submit themselves to believe all these to be in all God's dis-
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pensations. I shall but name that one place wherein the apostle disputes for it, Heb. xii. 1-6 ; and add that wherewith Hosea closes his declaration of God's various dispensations and dealings with his people, chap. xiv. 9.
This, now, it is to humble our souls to the law of God's providence in all his dispensations, — to fall down before his sovereignty, wisdom, righteousness, goodness, love, and mercy. And without this frame of heart, there is no walking with God ; unless we intend to come into his presence to quarrel with him,— which will not be for our ad- vantage.
This was Paul's frame, Phil. iv. 11, " I have learned it/' saith he ; " it is not in me by nature, but I have now learned it by faith, I have humbled my soul to it," Qv o7g £/>/,) — " in the things, state, condi- tion, good or bad, high or low, at liberty or in prison, respected or despised, in health or sickness, living or dying," (Iv ofg eifti,) " therein to bow myself to the law of the good providence of God ; which is con- tentment." So was it also with David. Ps. cxxxi. 1 : He did not exercise himself, or trouble himself, about the ways and works of God that were too high and too hard for him. How, then, did he behave himself? Verse 2 : Something in his heart would have been inquiring after those things ; but he quieted himself, and humbled his soul to the law of the providence of God, which hath that comfort- able issue mentioned, verse 3, — an exhortation not to dispute the ways of God, but to hope and trust in him, on the account mentioned be- fore. This is also the advice that James gives to believers of all sorts, chap. i. 9, 10. Let every one rejoice in the dispensations of God, willingly bowing their hearts to it.
This is a popular argument, of daily use. Should I insist on the rea- sons of it, — its consequence, effects, and advantage ; its necessity, if we desire that God should have any glory, or our own souls any peace; the perfect conquest that will be obtained by it over the evil of every condition ; and stretch it in application to the saddest particular cases imaginable (for all which the Scripture abounds in directions), — I should go too far out of my way.
This, then, I say, is the second thing we are to humble ourselves unto.
2. My other inquiry remains, — namely, how or by what means we are thus to humble ourselves to the law of grace and providence?
I shall but name one or two of the principal graces, in the exer- cise whereof this may be performed : —
(1.) Let faith have its work. There are, among others, two things that faith will do, and is suited to do, that lie in a tendency hereunto : —
[1.] It empties the soul of self. This is the proper work of faith, — to discover the utter emptiness, insufficiency, nothingness that is in
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man unto any spiritual end or purpose whatever. So Eph. ii. 8, 9. Faith itself is of God, not of ourselves ; and it teaches us to be all by grace, and not by any work of ours. If we will be any thing in our- selves, faith tells us then it is nothing to us; for it only fills them that are empty, and makes them all by grace who are nothing by self. While faith is at work, it will fill the soul with such thoughts as these : " I am nothing ; a poor worm at God's disposal ; lost, if not found by Christ; — have done, can do, nothing on the account Avhereof I should be accepted with God: surely God is to be, in all things, submitted to ; and the way of his mere grace accepted." So Rom. hi. 27. This is the proper work of faith, — to exclude and shut out boasting in ourselves; that is, to render us to ourselves such as have nothing at all to glory or rejoice in in ourselves, that God may be all in all. Now, this working of faith will keep the heart in a readiness to subject itself unto God in all things, both in the law of his grace and providence.
[2.] Faith will actually bring the soul to the foot of God, and give it up universally to his disposal. What did the faith of Abraham do when it obeyed the call of God? Isa. xli. 2. It brought him to the foot of God. God called him, to be at his disposal universally, by faith to come to it, following him, he knew not for what, nor whither. "Leave thy father's house and kindred;" — he disputes it not. " Cast out Ishmael, whom thou lovest;" — he is gone. " Sacrifice thine only Isaac ; " — he goes about it. He was brought by faith to the foot of God, and stood at his disposal for all things. This is the proper nature of faith, — to bring a man to that condition. So was it with David, 2 Sam. xv. 26. This faith will do. Will God have me to suffer in my name, estate, family? " It is the Lord," saith faith. Will he have me to be poor, despised in the world,- — of little or no use at all to him or his people? " Who," saith faith, " shall say to him, What doest thou?" In any state and condition, faith will find out arguments to keep the soul always at God's disposal.