[2.] Consider the constant answer of prayers which those which have waited on God in these dispensations, to their unspeakable consolations, have received ; finding God to be nigh unto them in all that they call upon him for : if in this thing, 'they regarded -iniquity in their hearts, surely God would not have heard them:' others also cry, 'even to the Lord do they cry,' but he will not bear witness to the abomination of their hearts : oh ! that upon these and the like considerations, you would at last take the counsel of the psalmist, Psal. xlvi. 10. ' Be still and know that he is God :' be silent before him, for he is risen out of his holy habitation; say, 'God hath done great things for these ; who hath har- dened himself against him, and prospered V And this is the first particular.
(2.) The second design of providence in these dispensa- tions, is evidently to ' stain the glory of all flesh ;' so Isa. xxiii. 9. never did the Lord any work more eminently, what sort of men is there amongst us, whose glory God hath not stained? I had rather leave this unto a silent thought, than to give you particular instancesof it : otherwise it were very easy to make it as clear as the sun, that God hath left nei- ther self-honour nor glory to any of the sons of men: meet him then in this also.
1st. Cease putting confidence in man, say he is a worm, and ' the son of man is but a worm, his breath is in his nos- trils, and wherein is he to be accounted of?' This use doth the church make of mercies, Psak xx. 6, 7. Some trust in horses, and some in chariots, but we will remember the name of the Lord :' we will not trust in parliaments or ar- mies; all flesh is grass; Isa. xl. let it have its withering time and away : see no wisdom but the wisdom of God, no strength but the strength of God, no glory but his.
446 THE ADVAXTAGK OF
2dly. Have any of us any glory, any crowns, any gifts, any graces, any wisdom or valour, any useful endowments, let us cast them all down at the feet of Jesus Christ; if we look on them, if we keep them as our own, God withers all their beauty, and their glory. Thus do the 'elders who wor- ship the Lamb for ever,' Rev. iv. 10, 11. say to him, 'Lord Jesus, thine is the glory;' thine are all the mighty works which have been wrought in our days; thine are all the means whereby they have been accomplished; we are no- thing, we can do nothing, thou art all, and in all : and this is the second.
[3.] He aims at the shaking of all these things here be- \o\y: he is taking down the rate and price of all things here below; on that which was worth a thousand pounds, he takes his bill and writes down scarce the thousandth part : he hath laid his hand upon the nests of the nation, and hath fitted wings unto all their treasures ; and so eminently writ- ten vanity and uncertainty on them all, as must needs lessen their esteem, were not men blinded by the god of this world : in this also are we to meet the Lord.
1st. By getting a low esteem of the things that God is thus shaking, and that upon this account, that he shakes them for this very end and purpose, that we should find neither rest nor peace in them : perhaps thou hast had a de- sire to be somebody in the world, thou seest thyself come short of what thou aimest at: say now with Mephibosheth upon the return of David, not only half, but let all go, see- ing that the Lord Jesus shall reign with glory. A man may sometimes beat a servant, for the instruction of his son : God hath shaken the enjoyments of his enemies, to lead his friends to disesteem them : God forbid, the quite contrary should be found upon any of us.
2dly. By labouring to find all riches and treasures in the Lord Christ: the earth staggers like a drunken man; the princes of it are reduced to a morsel of bread ; all that is seen is of no value : doth not God direct us to the hidden paths, to the treasures that cannot be destroyed? Many say, * Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.'
(2.) We are to meet the Lord in the way of his ordi- nances, in the way of gospel worship, the exalting of the
THE KIXGDOM OF CHRIST, &C. 447
Lord Christ herein is the issue of all the mighty works of God : this is given in as the end of all, Rev. xxi. 3. * The tabernacles of God,' &c. after great shakings, the promise still is of a new heaven and earth, Isa. Ixv. 17. Rev. xxi. 1. and this is that the people of God put themselves upon in the days wherein Babylon is to be destroyed, Jer. 1. 4 — 8. that is the work they then take in hand : the end of all is the building of the temple, Ezek. xlvii. and this is the con- clusion that the people of God do make, Isa. ii. 3, 4. and if this be neglected, the Lord will say of us, as David of Na- bal ; * Surely in vain have I kept these men and all that they have.' To meet the Lord in this also,