A SERMON on Secondly, So far as this is joyned alfo with hope of Mercy, for otlierwife a man's Soul flies in God's face~ as did Caitt, and thinks out of Self-love, (if not fubdued by the Love of God m the heart,) the punt/bmeut too great, and more than he can bear; therefore in the f~re-named places, 3 Lam, 26: Hopr is fiill Joyncd With qtmt wattmg; yea, and m the 29thmade a condition pre·requifite, Heputs hts m~11th m the dNf/, 1f fo be there may be Hopr, otherwifc not. Thii . makes !urn qUtet, and for a wlule content, that (as 'tis verfe 3r.) Godwi!J not cajl off for ever; b11t thottgh he cau{e grirf, yet he wiJJ have mercy according to the m11ttitude of them. And this difpofition of Contentednefs to fuffer, thus arifing, is it which God reqUires efpec1ally of all Graces to abound in us at times of Judgment; and therefore lpeakmg to h1s People here, his Compellation is, Ye Meek of the Ermh; and lm Exhortauon, Seek Meekt~efl. Th1s Appellation fuiting fo well with the matter he had in i]and, threatning a day.of A11grr. As therefore when we fpeak toGod, we ufually call upon ilim as the God of that Grace we fue for If we ask W1fdom of him, we look and call upon him by the name of Fathe; of L1ghts; if Confolation, The God of att Comfort. So when God fpeaks to us he gives us that efpecial Appellation, and denominates us by that Grace (as here' of Merk onas,) which bell becomes us in receiving the Melfage he is delivering: And when God fpeaks of a 'Day of Anger, and of his fierct A11ger a coming it becomes us, who are obnoxious as well as others, to be meek, and filenr, and fiill. Thenfeek Meeknefs; not to entertain a murmuring thought to the conrr~ry; for it is the moll abfurd and unfeemly thing to fee one that deferves to be in Hell, a.nd have the !owe(\ place there, to complain of lelfer punifhments · and therefore Lam.3• 39· Jeremy brings it in as a moll unreafonable thing to be 'won– dred at, WbJ doth an /ivi11g mm1 comptam; a m.m for the pmzijhment of hisfins? He wonders, that a man obnoxious to God in fo great a guilt; what, that he fhould complain of punifhment,of punilhme~t of his Sins? betwixt which there is no proportion. A Rogue, that deferves hanging, drawing, and quartering, complain if he be fentenced but to Whipping or Burning in the hand? Down on thy knees Wretch,and thank the Judge for his Mercy,that thou art 1101 confumed, (as they v.22.of the fame Chapter,)as infinite Mercy by which thou efcapdl, Be content to welcome that punilhment which is lcfs than thou hall deferved. Tf any had caufe to complain, Chrif/ had, who was Innoc~nt; and Tnnocency makes men fpeak, when Guilt would !lop their mouths; but M a Lamb lead to the jlattghter he opnudnot his mo11th. Prayed indeed the Cup might pafs; but yet if po.fli6te, elfe not; Not my will Father, b11t thi11e; and he WM heard in what be feared. So do thou ; The Promife of hidi1tg is made to it; if there be any Hiding-place to be found on Earth, a Meek ma11 may challenge it. Pfat. 37.8. The Meek (halt inherit the Earth; and therefore they are here called the Meek of the Erzrth, and the l11ha6itants of the Earth, l]ai.26.g. And the reafon why God fo efpecially regards this difpofition, and makes ll Promife againll Jll times to it, and fpares them, is, Firll, Btcaufe God defires butto overcome, when he comes to judge, Rom. 3-4-to have the ViEtory over men. Now a Spirit that confeiling it hath finned, wi!Lngly fubmlts to, and accepts 1ts pumlhment, over that Spmt God 1s acknowledged a Victor already; and it is not a fit mate'• for him to !hew his power on, but aPharaoh that will not !loop; he will fl1c ' his Power on him to choofe, and break him in pieces. You whip your Children but till they kifs the Rod, and then you fling it away. Second!y, A meek Soul will fiill be thankful to him, and give him all the glo– ry, let him deal with it how he will, and he cloth defire no m~re :. apprehending it felf worthy to be dcfiroyed. It magmfies the lea(]: Metc~es m the m1dll of Judgment', and fiill thinks Judgments fmall, confeiling God jull and merciful in_ them, if its Being be but preferv'd.It u of thy Mercy we are 11ot confitmed, Lam. 3.22. andGrrat zs thy Faithfitbu(r, So Ezra 9• '3· he there aggravates h1s fin, All this is come 11po1Z '"for o11r Great trefpafs; but extenuates and thmks no– thing of the punifhmcnt, Thot< haf/ ptmijbed tU tejs than our Jmqtulus; but he magnifies the !call Mercy, Ht•ffgivm M filch a deliverance ,z; Thu, feu an Em– .Phafil on that. Thirdly,
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