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A45333	An exposition by way of supplement, on the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth chapters of the prophecy of Amos where you have the text fully explained ... : together with a confutation of Dr. Holmes, and Sir Henry Vane, in the end of the commentary / by Tho. Hall ...	Hall, Thomas, 1610-1665.; Homes, Nathanael, 1599-1678.	1661 (1661)	Wing H431; ESTC R18972	450,796	560

the true Sabbath of rest unto the Lord in that seventh part of the time of the worlds duration All worldly strength w●sdome power shall then as the walls of Jericho fall flat before Iesus the true Joshua and these true Israelites as having been by them compassed about six dayes and now on the seventh a thousand years being with the Lord as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 making way for the end mentioned 1 Cor. 15.24 so that now men may know when the Day of Judgement shall be viz. about four hundred and forty years hence But how doth Sir H. prove all these high-flown Notions why ipse dixit he that never erred sayes it witness our self at W. It will be the wisdome of those in authority speedily to suppress such real Fanatical opinions else Hae nugae seria fient These trifles may become troubles If any shall take offence at my plaineness against these loose Principles I shall answer with Bernard Malo in me murmur hominum quam in Deum bonum est mihi si Deus me utatur pro clypeo FINIS A Table of the Principal things contained in this Commentary A. Pages AFflictions come from God 517 518 552 and lead to God 371 Angels their Office 517 Apathy condemned 327 Application necessary 108 308 Assurance attainable 208 Almes how to be given 43. Motives to it 31 32. Gavils answered 37 c. B. BEauty is vanity 499 Beggars lusty not to be releeved 51 52 Beleeve we are slow to it 337 Bethel what it was 21 Bribery base 12. 190 Burial decent a mercy 344 Burnt-offerings what they were 231 C. Carmel what it was 523 Carnal confidence vain 295 Carnal security dangerous 303 304 Children fare the worse for wicked Parents 16 17 Churches how holy 25 Church Musick a Novelty 314 Church must be dear to us our love to it rewarded 327 Cities ruined by Sin 100 299 Come every wicked man hath his come 13. and good men should have their come ibid. Company of the wicked to bee shunned 24 Conversion the end of correction 65 Consideration how necessary 298 299 Covetous men are carnal 468 469 Creature is vanity 356. How to improve it to Gods glory 536 Curiosity to be shunned 503 D. DArkness what it signifies 217 224 Decrees of God abide 340 Despair the wicked doe so 347 Drinking put for feasting 8 Duties daily to be practised 29 E. ELection free 568 Englands Mercies 67 Epicurism vile 308 Evil shun it 204 205 Examples of Saints abused 317 Examples of great men when wicked do much hurt 10 Extremity Gods people oft brought to it 373 F. FAmine a sad Iudgement 61 62. what Sins bring it 62. famine of the Word most sad 489 Feasting when unlawful 322 323 Family-duties to be set up 30. false Prophets enemies to the true Chap. 7.10 Obs. 1 Fear proper to wicked men 19 Few are saved 569 Flying will not avail the wicked 518 521 523 222 223 Free-will we have lost 105 153 Fruit lost by sin 80 G. GAtes how used 179 180 God is Omnipotent 125 585 fear him 125 127. a fix fold comfort in it 126 127 He is Omniscient 11 12 189 He is just 384. hee is most High 135 136. most Holy 15. Good 204 Patient 353 Lord of Hosts 137 337. Hee is the saddest enemy 524 525. if he be against us all is against us 148. his special presence the glory of a place 205. Hee is merciful 100 108 Gilgal what it is 22 26 Gods Worship wearisome to wicked men 464 465 Godly vilified 469. they are Gods graine 552 Good things must be often pressed 209 Good intentions no warrant for evil actions 27 Godly not seditious but peaceable proved at large Chap. 7. Vers. 10. Obs. 4. H. H●rdened Sinners are incurable 65 66 100 101 Heart searcht by God 127 128 130 Holy Ghost is God 120 Hope upholds us 211 Humiliation goes before consolation 564 Hypocrites are Ceremonious their service no service 57 67 347 I. Idolatry brings Iudgements 74. it is a great Sin 502. it is a flesh-pleasing sin 59. it is very dangerous 253 254 458 Jehovah what it notes 136 Ingratitude vile 295 Instruments God wants not to doe his work 8 Ironies lawful 24 Mr. Jones his bounty 47 Judicial Astrology vile 72 73 Judgements seldome goe alone 340. they usually begin at Gods house 514. wee are slow to beleeve them 15. God hath variety of them 74 75 78 79 302. they are gradual ch 7. v. 8 Judgements on others must make us fear 298 299 The Iudgement of God differs from mans judgement 503 Justice God delights in it 239 how it must be performed 240 when perverted it is a crying sin 353 354 Ivory much used by the Iewes 306 307 Judge our selves we must 346 L. LEven how used 55 Legal Promises adumbrate Spiritual Blessings 559 Lesser Iudgements contemned make way for greater 107 Life Spiritual its excellency 158 468 Luxury breeds cruelty 323 M. MAtter 's of moment must bee marked 350 Mercy to the poor our duty 31 c. at large Mercies abused provoke wrath 26 Mercy and Iudgement mixt 546 Mirth of the wicked turned to mourning 331 Ministery is searching 133 322 Ministers must persevere in their Ministery 452. they must preach plainly 253. they must be prudent 371 Mockers how vile 218 219 Moloch what it was 247 248 Mountains melt when God is angry 530. They are mercies to the world 118 119 Musick abused unlawful 235 310 O. OBedience qualifications of it 58 59 Oppressors rich men many times are such 12 Oppressors of others shall be opprest themselves 15 16 P. Patience in calamities necessary 200 201 346 Perseverance necessary 553 578 Parity of sin brings parity of suffering 83 Persecution dangerous 328 Pestilence comes from God 84. what sins bring it 84 85. a sad Iudgement 86. whether wee may fly from it 87 88. Good men may dye of it 89 Piety brings plenty 574 Places debased by sin 25. shun Idolatrous places 160 Pleasures carnal costly 321 Plots broken by God 128 Poverty the causes of it to be shunned 53 Plaine Preachers disliked c 7 13 Prayer our daily practice 29. it is powerful 109 374. when Argumentative 372. persevere in it 377. short prayer if fervent may prevaile much 378 Praises due to God 58. 357 Preach none may without a Call 8. Preaching to be preferned before Miracles 97 98. it is the Souls food 487. contempt of it brings a famine 488 Priviledges cannot keep off Iudgments 294 337 Presence of God the glory of a place 205 Progenitors though pious cannot avail an impious people 541 Providence governs all 99 100 Proverbial speeches commendable 353 Prudence three-fold 192. Pious men are prudent 196. which appears in eight particulars 197 198 Q. QUakers how vile 57 58 131 Questions how useful 245 R. RAine falls by appointment 71. want of it a Iudgement 70 71 A Remnant saved 547 Relicks of Saints vain 345 Repentance difficult 75. its excellency 113 116

AN EXPOSITION By way of Supplement ON THE Fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth and ninth Chapters of the Prophecy OF AMOS Where you have the Text fully explained other Texts occasionally cleared many Cases Stated many Practical Observations raised and many Polemical Points debated Together VVith a Confutation of Dr. Homes and Sir Henry Vane In the end of the Commentary By THO. HALL B. D. and Pastor of Kings-norton O that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of way-faring men that I might leave my people and go from them for they be all Adulterers an assembly of treacherous men Jer. 9.2 They bend their tongue like their bow for lyes but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth for they proceed from evil to evil and they know not mee saith the Lord. Verse 3. LONDON Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Pauls Church-yard near the Little North-door 1661. Ornatissimo Viro amico amicissimo Ecclesiae Pastorumque fidelium Patrono notissimo Orthodoxae fidei propugnatori acerrimo Gervasio Piggot de Thrumpton in Comitatu Nottingham Armigero TAm à Romanistarum faece ac Scabie quàm à Fanaticorum Spuma ac rabie liberrimo Qui Natales eruditione Eruditionem virtute Virtutem moribus usque quáque nobilibus adornavit Cui medulla inest Quintessentia Pietatis Poesios Philosophiae ac Theologiae Lucubrationes hasce quales quales Amoris Honoris ergô D. D. D. THO. HALL TO THE READER IN my Exposition on Hosea I had occasion to consult the Prophet Amos who was Hosea's Contemporary and finding that Dr. Benefield Lady Margaret-Professor in Oxford had commented on that Prophecy upon perusal I found that hee had expounded onely the three first Chapters whereupon I finding the fourth to bee very suitable to our times I onely set upon that not intending to go any further for the clouds thickned so fast over us that I despaired of proceeding to another Chapter but being incouraged by some to go on with so useful a work begun I made a further Essay and by a good hand of providence have brought the work totally beyond my own expectation to a total perfection having finisht the Exposition of the whole Prophecy Many Posthumous works have had Supplementators surpassing their Predecessors this cannot bee expected here All that I can promise thee is this that I have not baulkt any doubt or difficulty but have as fully and faithfully explained the Text as possibly I could I have spared for no cost or pains I have spent both Purse and Person freely in the work 'T is for the Lord and I have not offered to him of that which cost mee nothing I have studied brevity the times will not bear long discourses besides I naturally affect brevity and love to see much matter compact together in a little room Here thou hast Practicals Polemicals References and what ever else might compleat the work Here wee have a Glass wherein wee may see the Misery of Security the Downfall of Sensuality and Idolatry the Sword Plague and Famine pursuing an obstinate and incurable people to destruction Here wee have the sins that ruined Israel viz. Oppression and Cruelty Amos 2.8 and 8.6 7. Bribery Amos 4.1 and 5.12 Notorious Lust Amos 2.7 Odious Ingratitude Amos 2.9 10 11 12 13. Wilful Ignorance Amos 3.10 Hating of Reproof Amos 5.10 13. Formality and a Ceremonious Religion Amos 5 21 22. Unrighteousness in dealing Amos 8.5 And Weariness of Gods worship Amos 8.5 And if these be Englands sins these will be likewise Englands ruine Parity of sin will bring parity in suffering All the Symptomes of Iudgements approaching are upon the Land 1 Good men fall Psa. 12.1 Isa. 57. 1. 2 Ill men rise 2 Chron. 19.2 Psal. 12. ult 3 Gods Vine the Church is grown wilde and luxuriant for want of pruning Professors are turned Blasphemers and instead of the Grapes of Obedience they bring forth the wilde Grapes of Apostacy Idolatry Security Pride and Hypocrisie Wee grow weary of Mannah and long to be at our Garlick and Leeks and Onions in Egypt again It was the great sin of Israel that when the Lord had brought them out of Egyptian bondage into Canaan yet then they cryed Come let us make us a Captain that so wee may return into Egypt again Numb 14.4 Such horrid Apostacy alwaies ends in misery Isa. 1.4 7. Ezek. 9.9 Heb. 10.38 Besides the sad divisions and subdivisions which are amongst us fore-tell some approaching Iudgement Wee cannot gratifie Antichrist more than to weaken our selves by our divisions England is like a great Animal as the Duke of Rohan hath well observed and cannot dye unless she help to kill her self Like a Diamond she is not so easily broken with hammers and swords as she is cut in peeces with her own dust 'T was our divisions at first that brought in the Romans Normans and Saxons into this Land what they may do again a little time will shew Many amongst us have run round to Popery and therefore 't is just with God to make that the scourge which so many have made their refuge and after the Rod hath done its work then hee 'l burn it God is letting Antichrist loose once more to hasten his fall the more blood he sheds the greater will the cry be against him The measure of Babylons sins will be made up in blood before her final ruine and when she shall have once more filled her self with the blood of the Saints she shall have blood given her to drink for she is worthy The good Lord awaken us and humble us all for our own sins and for the sins of the times we live in and make us to mourn for the things wee cannot mend and inable us to receive the Truth in the love of it and make us at last to serve him with gladness of heart in the abundance of all things that wee may not provoke him to make us serve our enemies in want and misery This is and shall bee the prayer of Thy Servant in the Lord THO HALL Kingsn July 25. 1661. Israels Obstinacy A COMMENTARY ON The fourth Chapter of Amos. AMOS 4.1 Hear this word yee Kine of Bashan that are in the mountains of Samaria which oppress the poor which crush or destroy the needy which say to their Masters bring and let us drink THis Chapter contains the summe of the Third Sermon which the Prophet Amos made to Israel wherein he exhorts them to Repentance and because by nature we are very averse and backward to this duty 1 He sets before them their hainous and hideous Sins which for number and nature were very great and grievous 2 He rehearseth the Judgements which they had already endured and tells them of greater Judgements which would follow unless by speedy repentance they did prevent them 3 He sets before them the Goodness and the Greatness of God the better to draw and drive them home unto him 1 He sets before them his

VVorld they would have Miracles and Angels to doe it when God saies they shall have Ministers and Preaching by men to doe it It is a Satanical delusion for men to think of being converted or comforted by any other way than that which God himself hath prescribed If God hath planted thee under a godly and a faithful Ministry and that cannot convert thee then assure thy self if an Angel from Heaven or a Ghost from Hell should come and preach every Sabbath to thee thou wouldst not be converted Sad is the condition then of many amongst us who visifie and contemn who mock and scorne at the Preaching of the Word accounting the publishers of it the Pests of a place and the troublers of Israel 1 King 18.17 grudging at their maintenance and slaying their persons this is a sign of remediless ruine to a Nation 2 Chron. 36.15 16. Levit. 26.14 15 16. Ier. 25.4 7 8 9. Prov. 13.13 2 Obs. There is a Divine hand of Providence that governs the world This brings plenty and poverty rain on one City and not on another one City is fired and another is rescued as a brand out of the fire These things come not by chance or fortune but there is a signal providence of God in them all Hee feeds the Sparrows cloathes the Lillies numbers our Hairs and takes special care of his people Hee hath a directing protecting compassionate vindicating care over all his he tenders them as the apple of his eye and writes them upon the palmes of his hands they are ever in his sight Isa. 49.15 63.9 Ezek. 16.8 Zach. 2.8 Mal. 3.17 Acts 9.4 This Providence of God is 1 Watchful 2 Distinct. 3 Strong 4 VVise in working We should therefore comfort our selves in this special Providence of God and cast all our burdens of cares fears on him Hee that provides for the meanest creatures will not suffer his noblest Creatures to want He that provides for Sparrows said good Mr. Herne when he was dying to his sad wife will not suffer Herns to want Yea he that provides so liberally for his enemies what will he not doe for his friends Away then with all carking distrustful care only commit thy way unto the Lord and hee shall direct thy paths Bee patient under all wrongs and injuries remembring that Gods eye takes special notice of all the wrongs that are done to his people to avenge them Exod. 3.9 2 Chron. 16.8 9. Let our moderation be made known to all since the Lord is at hand Phil. 4.5 See more of the Providence of God in Mr. Perkins on the Creed Artic. 1. p. 154. folio Vol. 1. Peter Martyr on 1 Sam. 10. p. 56 57. Lessius de Attributis p. 625. Dr. Gouge his Arrows p. 373. Rutherford Lect. Latine c. 11. p. 122. Corbet Fast Ser. on 1 Cor. 1.27 p. 5 c. Dyke on Matth. 4.4 p. 260 c. Strong 31 select Ser. p. 657. Raworth Iacobs Ladder p. 5 c. B. Andrews Catechis chap. 7. folio mihi p. 29. Herberts Poems p. 109 c. Pemble folio p. 263. to 279. Minutius felix per totum Par his Grounds of Divinity p. 33 c. 3 Obs. God is the destroyer of sinful Cities If you would know who it is that overthrows your Cities It is I saith the Lord that in justice for your provocations have made your Cities a desolation I fired Sodom destroyed No Niniveh Samaria Babylon Ierusalem As the Lord raiseth Cities and defends the good 2 King 19.34 20.6 so he ruines and layes waste the bad Hos. 13.16 Luke 19.44 keep sin then out of your Cities if you desire to keep them from fire plunder ruine Take heed of offending God who is a consuming Fire and can in a trice consume us and turn our dwellings into ashes 4 Obs. In the midst of Iudgements God remembers mercy Hee doth not stirre up all his wrath nor suffer his whole displeasure to arise but le ts fall only some drops upon us when he might pour a whole Sea of wrath upon our heads Psalm 78.38 God might justly have destroyed all these Israelites for their Idolatry and Apostasie yet he remembred his Covenant though they had fouly forgot it and transgrest it Hos. 6.7 and saves a remnant he destroyed but some not all their Cities So oft elsewhere we read of a remnant that were saved 2 King 19.31 Isa. 1.9 10.22 Rom. 9.27 5 Obs. Neither Iudgements nor Mercies can work upon hardned Sinners Some of these Israelites were destroyed like Sodom and others in mercy were pulled like a Brand out of the fire yet nothing works upon them but they are Israel still as Idolatrous and obstinate as ever VVhen the heart is once hardned by a long custom of sinning it is not all that Mount Ebal or Mount Gerizim Mount Sinai or Mount S●on can afford not all the dreadful Curses of the one nor all the gracious Promises of the other that can work upon mens hearts Prov. 23.29 34 35. Ezek. 20.5 6 7 8 18 21. neither Iohns austerity nor Christs lenity could work upon hard-hearted Iews If God by his Spirit set not in with the means nothing works kindly upon us yea wee shall bee the worse for beating as these Israelites all these six Rods doe but stupifie them and make them fitter for a greater Judgement One rod being sanctified may bring a man home to God as the Prison did Manasses want the Prodigal and the Earth-quake the Jaylor they had Gods Spirit that taught them to profit by afflictions and so were blessed Psal. 94.12 but a thousand stripes on a Pharaoh Saul c. doe but make them the more sensless and indurate and is not this Englands Sin may not we behold our own faces in this Glass may not the Lord justly complaine of us as he doth here of Israel I have smitten England with Sword Plague and Famine some of their Towns and Cities I have fired and the rest were as a brand pulled out of the fire Many a time have I broken and blasted the Power and Policy of many great Achitophels and delivered them from many eminent imminent dangers and yet such is their incorrigibleness and incurableness that they have not returned unto me saith the Lord. If any thing destroy this Nation it is our obstinacy and impenitency under all those various Dispensations of Mercies and means which we have so long enjoyed God like a good Physician hath long studied our Disease and given us many Purgative draughts to drink he hath visited us with variety of Judgements and hath let us bloud several times the better to obtain our Cure and yet he may complaine of us as hee doth of Israel here that we have not for all this returned to him VERSE 12. Therefore thus will I doe unto thee O Israel and because I will doe thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel WEE have heard before of Israels Sin and Israels Punishment

But why doth the Lord call upon his people to prepare themselves when their hearts were hardned and he tells us that the way of man is not in himself and that the preparation of the heart is his work and not ours Psal. 10.17 Besides he had decreed here to carry them into captivity and hee tells them as much and therefore all their repentance was but vain Ans. 1. The Lord had some elect and hidden ones both called and to be called amongst them and to these he principally speaks for all Gods commands are effectual in beleevers they are not an empty sound as they are in the ears of unbeleevers but there goes forth a power from god inableing them to obey if he command them to beleeve hee inables them so to doe If he command them to prepare to meet him by repentance there goes forth a power from him which inables them so to doe As when our Saviour commanded Lazarus to arise there went forth a power from him that raised him Moti movemus acti agimus when the will is regenerate and made pliable then it readily obeyes all Gods commands be they never so hard or harsh to flesh and bloud yet they can doe all things Evangelically through Christ that strengthens them God gives them his preventing assisting co-operating persevering grace Iob 11.13 14. 2 Such commands as these shew us our duty not our ability and must make us in the sense of our own inability prepare our selves to sue unto him for preparation 3 Such commands make the wicked more inexcusable who had power in Adam to obey all Gods commands but they in him have lost it and by their daily obstinacy and falling away from God and his wayes they have justified that grand Apostasie of our first Parents 4 The threatnings of God are not alwayes absolute and irrevocable but for the most part they are conditional and to be understood with this exception viz. except they repent and amend and this condition is sometimes expressed as Ier. 18.7 8. Ioel 2.13 14. and sometimes suppressed and concealed as Ionah 3.9 Yet forty dayes and Niniveh shall bee destroyed that is if they repented not So here though Israels case seemed desperate yet the Lord bids them turn and he would be propitious to them 5 Admit the Judgement be irrevocable and Gods people must notwithstanding their repentance bee Captives to the Assyrians yet their repentance had not been fruitless for they should have escaped eternal misery 2 In this Life the punishment of such Penitents is oft mitigated though not totally removed Hence we usually see that in times of publick Calamity it goeth best with the best men to them these are but fatherly Chastisements when to the wicked they are fore-runners of greater wrath A Ieremy Ezekiel Daniel may goe into Captivity but it is for good as the Lord said sometimes of his People I will send them into the Land of Caldea for good Ier. 24.5 such mourners shall be marked for Mercy when Judgement comes Ezek. 9.4 4 Here are the Persons to whom this Exhortation is applied and directed and that is to the ten Tribes who are often called by the name of Israel as being his off-spring 1 King 14.18 2 King 3.3 10.32 hee names them twice and ingeminates the title the better to awaken them and quicken their attention as also to shew his great affection to them as David named Absolon twice whom he loved So our Saviour speaking to Ierusalem doubles the title O Ierusalem Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 to awaken them to shew his tender love and compassion to them and to shew his anger against their sins he Pathetically cries out O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets c. q. d. Thou that hast been the place which God hath honoured with his special presence and chosen above all the places of the earth for his habitation to fix his name there art thou become a den of Devils and Murderers So the Lord here the better to rouze these Israelites out of their security and impenitency by an Epanodos doubles their name saying Thus will I doe to thee O Israel and because I will doe thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel 5 Since we are backward and averse to this duty of Returning he backs his Exhortation with a double Motive 1 The first is a drawing Motive taken from the consideration of Gods readiness to pardon Penitents Hee is thy God prepare to meet thy God hee is thine by Profession though thou hast walkt unanswerably to it And 2. he is Thy God in Covenant with thee and so ready to receive thee if thou wilt but truly turn to him The second is a driving Motive and is drawn from the consideration of Gods Almighty Power vers 13. who was now marching against them This power the better to awaken them he sets forth by six Royalties 1 He formeth the Mountains 2 Creates the Winds 3 Knows mens Thoughts 4 Maketh the Morning-darkness 5 Treads upon the high places of the Earth 6 He is the Lord of Hosts OBSERVATIONS 1 When lesser Iudgements will not mend a People God usually comes with greater When Blasting Mildew Famine Pestilence and Sword can doe no good then look for a Thus will I doe unto thee that is I will utterly destroy thee for remedies are in vain when the sore is so desperate So Isa. 1.5 Why should yee be smitten any more q. d. your case is desperate and incurable and therefore I will trouble my self no more with you but will now utterly destroy you And this is that which highly aggravates Englands Sin we have been long incorrigible under lesser Judgements and therefore what can we now expect but that the Lord should come with a Thus will I doe unto thee O England and because I will doe thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O England 2 Obs. God will not stick to punish his owne people and that severely when they sin against him Where he bestowes the greatest Priviledges there he inflicts the greatest Judgements He is sharper with them than with Heathens because they are nearer to him and so their sins doe more dishonour him The sins of a David doe more dishonour God than the sins of many uncircumcised Philistims God will be sanctified of all his nigh ones Levit. 10.2 He dwells amongst his people and cannot endure their provocations We can endure dung in our fields but not in our houses we can bear with briars and thorns in the Wilderness which we cannot endure in our inclosed Gardens Such sin against great light and great love and therefore will bee surely and sharply punisht for their iniquity Amos 3.2 as wee see in Eli David Hezekiah Zachariah Ierusalem Esa. 22.1 Dan. 9.12 3 Obs. Ministers must apply the Word unto their people Thus will I doe to thee O Israel This is the only way to convince and convert men what is spoken in general to all few will

a great Army against us and we had no strength to oppose his strength the only way is to meet him with humble submissive Supplications and so make peace with him So when ever we find that the great God is angry with us for our sins let us lay down the weapons of our rebellion submit unto him judge our selves and then he will not judge us accuse our selves and he will acquit us be sharp and severe with our selves and he will be merciful to us let us accept of the punishment of our iniquity and justifie him in all that he hath done unto us and then we have his promise for pardon Levit. 26.40 41 42. wee know it is not for Gods honour to trample upon worms The Lion will not seize on a yeelding Prey the Maftiff will not fall on the little Dogge that lyes on its back turns up all four and cries quarter The bending Reed is preserved when the stubborn Oke is pluckt up by the roots It is the proud and haughty whom God resists he sets himself in Battle array against them and delights to manifest his power in their subversion Esay 2.12 to 18. But the humble are his habitation and delight Let us therefore meet him submissively considering wee are not a match for him Sinful Nations are too weak for God how much more are single Persons Esay 40.15 1 Cor. 10.22 It is God that overturns Kings and Kingdoms at his pleasure hee hath overthrown Kingdoms that stood like firme Rocks Of all things here below we count Metals the strongest as Gold Silver Brass Iron of which Nebuchadnezzars Image was composed Dan. 2.32 33. whereby is meant the Babylonian Persian Grecian and Roman Monarchies the four greatest Monarchs of the World yet three of these the Lord hath already dasht in peeces and the Iron one of Rome only remains which God will shortly lay in the dust 3 We must meet God with grace in our hearts If wee goe to meet God our business is to make our peace with God which we cannot doe without grace for to the wicked there is no peace Now grace th●ugh it hath many other yet it is chiefly woven up and composed of these two golden threads 1. Love to God 2 Hatred of sin 1 Love to God We must love him appretiative intensive with highest intention of affection Love is our best affection and therefore most fit for God who is our best friend 2 Hatred of Sin There are two Affections especially which set themselves against sin which are Hatred and Grief Hatred respects the nature of sin and Grief respects the nearness of sin If we had no sin we should hate it but if it were not near us we should not grieve for it There are many that hate sin but never grieve for it but we must meet God with both these affections in us wee must hate sin as to its owne nature and grieve for it as it is our owne sin and as we offend God thereby and this is to meet God with grace in our hearts 4 We must meet God with Christ in our armes There is no seeing his face unless we bring this our elder brother with us God is holy and we are unholy so that he will not treat with us without Christ nor can wee think of God out of Christ but with extream horrour besides God will have satisfaction for sin past before he treat for the time to come now Christ is our Atonement and our Mediator and wee can expect no good from God without him therefore let us meet him with Christ in our armes 5 We must meet God with true Repentance Sorrow befits a Sinner as a garment doth the body The garment of Repentance was made for sinners Had we never sinned we had never sorrowed Repentance is Gods delight it is his favourite which he comes down from Heaven to salute and embrace Esay 57.15 Luke 15.20 Sin armes God against us but repentance disarmes him he cannot with-hold Mercies from the penitent his promise hath given repentance power to prevail with him it is the way of his owne prescribing when he would have his people to find mercy in his eyes hee bids them take this course Isa. 1.16 17. 55.7 Cant. 6.13 Ier. 4.14 13. ult Ezek. 18.31 32. Ioel 2.12 13. Zeph. 2.1 2 3. Acts 17.30 Iam. 4.8 9 10. This is a never failing remedy it alwaies obtaines either the blessing sought for or some better thing as we see in Manasses the Ninivites Mary Magdalen the Prodigal Paul the Israelites Judg. 10.15 16. Yea the very shadow of repentance can doe something for the removal of a temporal Judgement as we see in Ahabs hypocritical humiliation and Rehoboams 2 Chron. 12.6 7. The Israelites that cried unto the Lord only in their trouble yet were delivered out of their distress and if the shadow can doe so much what will not the substance doe Repentance qualifies the soul and fits it for Mercies Temporal and Spiritual It makes the heart soft tender flexible and ready to receive any impression from God Acts 9.6 This is that Panacea that Catholicon that Universal remedy against all maladies 2 Chron. 7.14 Ier. 18.7 8. These tears and waters of repentance are very medicinal and can prevail with God when no others can to extinguish the fire of his wrath which is now gone forth against us England is now upon her Sick-bed and we have great cause to fear that shee is upon her Death-bed and will scarcely recover wee shall shortly see whether she will live or dye her critical hour is now at hand and we may justly suspect her death and that because God hath cast his dealings with us into so many moulds and forms and tried us every way and yet we do not prepare to meet him God hath been pleading with England this hundred years by his Word for his Worship for his Day for his Discipline and for the power of godliness and yet we have not prepared to meet him God hath of late years been pleading with Fire and Sword and though these bloudy Arguments have spread abroad a●d there is scarcely a Town where bloud hath not been shed yet have we not prepared to meet the Lord. The Rod hath a voyce but we have not heard it Micah 6.9 It is a sad Symptom of destruction when we shall see the Rod but n●t hear it it is a sign that we are either deaf or dead God hath spoken to us with anger in his countenance and thunder in his voyce will yee still prophane my Holy things persist in your formality and goe on in your rebellion against me and yet we turn the deaf eare to him hating to be reformed And now when we thought all Gods Judgements were buried and the memory of them was almost obliterated yet they seeme to revive and to be raised out of their Graves again We are now dying and know it not gray hairs are here and there upon us and