172 The Lord is good unto them that There is no Saviour beside me, &c. The Lord your God, he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him? Joel ii. 13, 14. Jonah iv. 2. iii. 9. THE DUTY OF BELIEVERS. The Lord is the hope of his people, the strength of the children of Israel. -Joel iii. 16. Jer. iii. 23. Seek ye me, and ye shall live; but seek not Bethel, &c. seek the Lord, and ye shall live.-Amos v. 4-—6. · - Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple, &c. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came in unto him.-Jonah ii. 4. 7. iii. 8, 9. Thou hast had pity on (or spared) the gourd, &c. And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, where. are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left ?—Jonah iv. 10, 11. A man's enemies are the men of his own house: therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation, &c.—Micah vii. 6, 7. For the vision is yet for an appointed time: but at the end it shall speak and shall not lie; though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright, in him: but the just shall live by his faith.-Hab. ii. 3, 4. [CHAP. XIV. Take no thought, &c. Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature-Matt. vi. 25, &c. x. 19. 〃 of Canaan by sharp words; yet she Though Christ put off the woman still waited on him, in expectation of good, till she had obtained it.-Matt. xv. 22-28. So the two blind men would not be pool long to be cured. angel of God, &c. saying, Fear not, There stood by me this night the Paul, &c. and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee, &c. I it was told me.-Acts xxvii. 23– believe God, that it shall be even as 25. 44. patience experience, and experience hope that is seen is not hope: for aforetime, were written for our learnWhatsoever things were written ing, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope, &c. Now the God of hope fill through the power of the Holy Ghost. you, &c. that ye may abound in hope Rom. xv. 4. 13. 1 - 1 Cor. i. 9. 2 Thess. iii. 3. 'མཎྞཾ you to be tempted above that ye are deliver us: in whom we trust that he 75f" God that comforteth those that are cast down, &c.-2 Cor. vii. 6. God, who is rich in mercy.-Eph. ii. 4. * Be not moved away from the hope of the gospel.-Col. í. 23. Remembering, &c. your patience of hope.-1 Thess. i. 3. • We both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour, &c.- Tim. iv. 10. He abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself.-2 Tim. ii. 13. Heb. x. 23. Be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises, &c. Abraham, &c. after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise, &c. God willing to shew, &c. the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, &c.-Heb. vi. 12. 15. 17, 18. : : Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise: for yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith, &c.-Heb. x. 36-38. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us; looking unto Jesus, &c.-Heb. xii. 1, 2. • The trying of your faith worketh patience; and let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, &c.-James i. 3, 4. › Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth, &c. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts, &c. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord: that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.-James v. 7, 8.11. cording to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing; as unto a faithful Creator: 1 Pet. iv. 19. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you, &c.—1 Pet. i. 13. Wherefore let them that suffer ac 1 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.-i Pet. v. 7. Perfect love casteth out fear, &c. he that feareth is not made perfect in love.-1 John iv. 18. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus. Jude 21. : SECT. XI. To walk humbly before God, abasing ourselves; opposing all high thoughts within us, and avoiding boasting: the Reasons. THE inhabitants of the world, after the flood, said they would build a tower up to heaven, and make to themselves a name, &c. but God scattered them.-Gen. xi. 1, &c. Abraham said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes. Gen. xviii. 27. Exod. iii. 11. Jacob said, &c. I am not worthy of the least of all (or I m less than all) the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant: for with my staff I passed over, &c.Gen. xxxii. 9, 10. *記 Pharaoh said unto Joseph, &c. I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream, to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.—Gen. xli. 15, 16. Exod. iii. 11. Moses Lord, &c. to humble Exod. x. 3. I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly, he was above them.-Exod. xviii. 11. Hath the Lord spoken only by Moses; hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard, &c. and the anger of the Lord was kindled against them.-Numb. xii. 2. 9. Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and said, &c. Thus saith the How long wilt thou refuse thyself before me? 174 others, gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron: and said to them, Ye take too much upon you (or it is too much for you), seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift you up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord? &c. Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, &c. which said, We will not come up, &c. God was angry, and the earth opened and swallowed them up. -Numb. xvi. 1-3. 12. 21. 31, 32. Israel warned, that when they should be full, they should not be lifted up in heart.-Deut. viii. 10-14. THE DUTY OF BELIEVERS. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land, &c. Understand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it, for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiff-necked people, &c.-Deut. ix. 4—6. Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands; and Saul was very wrath, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands; and what can he have more but the kingdom?-1 Sam. xviii. 7. 8. I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight. -2 Sam. vi. 21-23. But thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.-2 Sam. xxii. 28. Obad. 3, 4. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself, &c. because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days.-1 Kings xxi. 29. Naaman was wrath, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought he will surely come out unto me, &c. Are not, &c. rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? &c. So he turned, and went away in a rage, &c.-2 Kings v. 11-14. Because their heart was tender, [CHAP. XIV. and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, &c. behold therefore, &c. thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring, &c.2 Kings xxii. 19, 20. that we should be able to offer? &c. Who am I? and what is my people, of thine own have we given thee.— I Chron. xxix. 14. " was lifted up to his destruction. When Uzziah was strong, his heart 2 Chron. xxvi. 16. according to the benefit done unto But Hezekiah rendered not again him; for his heart was lifted up, therefore there was wrath &c. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart upon him, (or lifting up of his heart), so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. God left him, &c. that he might know all that was in his heart.-2 Chron. xxxii. 25, 26. 31. Isa. xxxix. venge and blood, and that proved his Haman: his pride put him upon reruin.-Esth. iii.5, 6. v. 5. 9, &c. vii. magnify him? and that thou shouldest wise; though man be born like and fro? and wilt thou pursue the few days and full of trouble: he shalt say, There is lifting up: and he The stars are not pure in his sight; Elihu being young, would not speak he giveth grace unto the lowly.-before the old men had spoken. Job xxxii. 4-6. Prov. iii. 7.34. Job said, Behold I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth: once have I spoken, &c. but I will proceed no farther.--Job xl. 3--5. Ezra ix. 10. 13. Now mine eye seeth thee; wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.-Job xlii. 5, 6. When I consider thy heavens, &c. what is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man, that thou visitest him?-Ps. viii. 3, 4. Heb. ii. 6. Ps. cxliv. 3, 4. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, &c. every one that is He forgetteth not the cry of the proud in heart, is an abomination to humble.-Ps. ix. 12. x. 17. the Lord, &c. Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall; better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.→→→ Prov. xvi. 2. 5. 18, 19. xviii. 12. Whoso mocketh the poor, reproacheth his Maker.-Prov. xvii. 5. Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness (or bounty).-Prov. xx. 6. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord pondereth the heart.-Prov. xxi. 2. But I am a worm, and no man.Ps. xxii. 6. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.-Ps. xxxiv. 18. Every man at his best state is altogether vanity.-Ps. xxxix. 5. 11. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.-Ps. li. 17. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree a lie; to be laid in the balance they are altogether lighter than vanity.-Ps. lxii. 9. cxlvi. 3, 4. So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee.-Ps. lxxiii. 22. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand Ps. cxxx. 3. Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty, &c.-Ps. cxxxi. 1, 2. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; but the proud he knoweth afar off.-Ps. cxxxviii. 6. These things doth the Lord hate, a proud look (or haughty eyes).— Prov. vi. 16, 17. When pride cometh, then cometh shame; but with the lowly is wisdom. -Prov. xi. 2. Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? &c. that thou makest account of him? Man is like to vanity.-Ps. cxliv. 3, 4. Be not wise in thine own eyes, &c. Surely he scorneth the scorners, but The way of the fool is right in his own eyes. Prov. xii. 15. Only by pride cometh contention. Before honour is humility.-Prov. xv. 33. xviii. 12. Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men. For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince. Prov. xxv. 6, 7. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope than of him.-Prov. xxvi. 12. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. The full soul loatheth the honey-comb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. Prov. xxvii. 2. 7. He that is of a proud heart, stirreth up strife.-Prov. xxviii. 25. A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.-Prov. xxix. 23. Surely I am more brutish than any 176 man, and have not the understanding THE DUTY OF BELIEVERS. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of man shall be brought down, &c. for the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low, &c. Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?—Isa. ii. 11-13. 17. 22. v. 15. Job ix. 13. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight.-Isa. v. 21.. Woe is me, &c. I am a man of unclean lips, &c. for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.-Isa. vi. 5. I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks: for he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, &c. Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? &c. Therefore shall, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones, leanness and under his glory he shall kindle a fire, &c. The high ones of stature shall be hewn dowa, and the haughty shall be humbled.Isa. x. 12, 13. 15, 16. 33. xiv. 11-15. The Lord of hosts hath purposed it to stain (or pollute) the pride of all glory; and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.-Isa. xxii. 9. i. Hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men, &c. because you said we have made a covenant with death, &c. it shall be disannulled, &c.—Isa. xxviii. 14, 15. 18. Thus saith the high and lofty One, &c. I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.-Isa. lvii. 15. [CHAP. XIV. is my throne, &c. but to this man will Thus saith the Lord, The heaven I look, to him that is pure and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.-Isa. lxvi. 1, 2. 1 wisdom, neither the mighty man in Let not the wise man glory in his his might, &c.-Jer. ix. 23. the great pride of Jerusalem, &c. I will mar, the pride of Judah, and which refuse to hear my words, &c.→→→ Jer. xiii. 9, 10. 15. 17, 18. you as this potter? saith the Lord, .. When the prophet Jeremiah had the people, then spake Azariah, &c! spoken all the words of the Lord to and all the proud men, saying into Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: to say, &c.-Jer. xliii. 1, 2. the Lord our God had not sent thee -( Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud (or pride), saith the Lord God of hosts, &c. And the most proud shall stumble and fall, &c.-Jer. 1: 31, 32. 0 thy sister Sodom, pride, &c. and they Behold, this was the iniquity of were haughty, &c.-Ezek. xvi. 49, 50. that is low, and abase him that is Thus saith the Lord, &e. exalt him high.-Ezek. xxi. 26., devot God threatens the prince of Tyrus for his sacrilegious pride. Ezek. xxviii. 1, &c. Art thou able to make known unto have built by the might of the power, |