Gospel-Worship

7 The next is an humble subjection to the word that we hear, our hearts must bow to it, must lie under the word that we hear, it is a very remarkable Scripture that we have in 2 Chron. 36. 12. There it is said concerning a great King Zedekiah, He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord• It it a very strange expression as any we have in the book of God, that Zedekiah a great King should be charged with this as a great sin that he did not humble himself, humble himself before whom you will say? we are bound to humble our selves before God, but here it is that he did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet; Why before the prophet? Because he spake from the mouth of the Lord. If it be any messenger that speaks from the mouth of the Lord, God expects that we should humble our selves, so that if any truth comes to be delivered unto you, the Lord expects that you should fall down and yield obedience to it, whatsoever your thoughts, your judgments, your opinions have heretofore been, if there come any thing in the word against it you must submit your judgments, submit your very consciences, you must submit your wills, whatsoever your hearts have been set upon, though it hath been never so contentfull to your spirits before, yet now submit, and yield though it go never so cross unto your minds, your wills, your ends, yet all must be submitted, and laid down flat before the word, so as to be willing to deny your selves of any thing in the world. When a man or woman can say thus, Lord it is true, I confess before I heard thy word opened in the evidence and demonstration of the spirit unto me, I was of such a mind, and my heart went after such and such contentments, ⟨p. 184⟩and I though it was impossible that ever my heart should be taken from them, but Oh Lord thou hast been pleased plainly to show to me by the opening of thy word in the evidence of thy spirit, what thy mind is; Now whatsoever becomes of my name, of my comforts, of my contentments in this world, Lord here I cast down all before thee, I submit unto thy word; this is a gracious frame. Now is the name of God extolled, and lifted up in hearing of the word, the name of God is Sanctified in such a work of spirit as this is.

7 The next is an humble subjection to the word that we hear, our hearts must bow to it, must lie under the word that we hear, it is a very remarkable Scripture that we have in