2. To cultivate a child-like spirit — [We have addressed you as " children:" though there may be many present who are " young men and fathers," yet must we say, that an advance towards Christian perfection will always be manifested by a proportionate growth in humility. Our blessed Lord told his Apostles, that whoever amongst them most fully attained the tempers and dispositions of a " little child, the same would be the greatest in the kingdom of hea- ven." Let your growth then be seen in this way: then, what- ever be taught you, it vdll be " received with meekness, as an engrafted word, able and effectual to save your souls." In- deed without this disposition of mind no man can have that " honest and good heart," which alone will nourish the seed that is sown in it, and enable it to " bring forth fruit unto perfection."
To those who are really but young in age, a teachable spirit is indispensable to their improvement. O let such listen to the voice of their teachers with humility and gratitude ! let them especially also look unto the Holy Spirit of God, to apply the word unto their hearts : and let them " not be hearers only of the Gospel, but doers of it also," lest the privileges they enjoy lead only to the deceiving and ruining of their own souls.]
" 1 Pet. iii. 10—12. ° Matt. vii. 24—27.
Ps. xxxiv. 18. The Lord, is nigh imto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as he of a contrite spirit.
THE objects of God's favour are very frequently designated by the exalted title of " The righteous :" " The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous :" " Many are the afflictions of the righteous :" " They that hate the righteous shall be desolate ^" But, a person of an humble spirit finds it difficult to assume to himself this character, because of the innumerable imperfections of which he is conscious ; and, con- sequently, he is backward to claim the promises assigned to it. But the terms whereby the Lord's people are characterized in our text are such as the most humble may appropriate to themselves without vanity : and whatever is promised to them under that character, they may regard as their legitimate and assured portion.
The words before us will naturally lead me to shew,
L What is that spirit which the Lord approves — There is a brokenness of heart which God does
not approve, because it proceeds altogether from
worldly sorrow^ : but that which is associated with
contrition is truly pleasing in his sight.
Let us more distinctly see what the spirit here
designated is —
[It is called " a broken heart, and a contrite spirit." It is founded altogether in a sense of sin, and in a consciousness of deserving God's wrath on account of sin. It is, however, no light sense of sin, but such an one as David had, when he said, " Mine iniquities are gone over my head : as a heavy burthen, they are too heavy for me'^:" " Mine iniquities have taken such hold upon me, that I am not able to look up : they are more than the hairs of my head ; therefore my heart faileth me"^," Nor is it merely on account of the penalty annexed to transgression that they are so oppressed, but on account of its hateful nature, as defiling and debasing their souls. Hence they " lothe themselves," as vile, and base, and filthy, and
^ ver. XV. 19, 21. '' Prov. xv. 13.
*= Ps. xxxviii. 4. ^ Ps. xl. 12.