humble themselves c. 2 Chron. 7. 14 And if their uncircumcised hearts be humbled and they accept of the punishment of their iniquity c. Lam. 26. 4. He resisteth the proud but gives grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. And Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble Psal 10. 17. And he shall save the humble person Job 22. 29. So that it is both our duty and security to humble our selves especially when God is humbling us Ahab doing this though but Hopocritically yet the Lord refpited the evil in his days 1 Kings 21. 29. Seest thou says the Lord to Elijah how Ahab humbleth himself before me this was but in outward appearance because he humbles himself before me I will not bring the evil in his days c. But how acceptable then is the hearty humiliatinn of a true penitent And according to what appears of this it bodes good or ill to a Nation When the Lord had manifested his displeasure against that people Exod. 33. 5 It is very observable what the Lord there fays to them Put off says he thy ornaments from thee that I may know what to do unto thee But does not God know what to do to a people and what he will do with them Yes but his displeasure appearing against this people he speaks as one unrefolv'd either for sparing or destroying and as willing to be determin'd as he found their posture and demeanour to be As if he had said If thou do indeed humble thy self and repent I will shew thee mercy but if thou still persist in thy pride and impenitency I will execute my Judgments upon thee So that by what a people are as to this they may guess and conclude how it is like to be with them and what God will do to them and if so how sad may we judg it is like to be with England with London For do we put off our ornaments lay down our pride nothing less for was there ever more does it not testifie to our faces is it not visible and apparent And that even now when God goes on still to testifie his displeasure against us as he hath severely a-late verily we so carry it as if we would not be humbled though God humble us nor lye low though he lay us low and the Lord forgive it to us Ministers that we do no more reprove it in our Assemblies which some sadly resent trading indeed is low and mens estates low but we carry it as high or higher than ever God says to us as to Pharoah How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy self before me Exod. 10. 3. I have laid your health low your strength low many of your lives low your City low your houses low your estates low your trading low O! when shall your hearts be humbled and laid low certainly if we do not humble our selves and lye low God will yet lay us lower Direct 4. Doing what we do very humbly Let it be yet Hopefully Self-abasingly but not disparingly As Shechaniah said to Ezra We have trespassed against our God c. yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10. 2. And who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not c. Jonah 3. 9. And the Lord does here in the very words themselves so express himself as yet to incourage his people For 1st he names Israel twice here O Israel and again O Israel as a name that had been and still was very dear to him as David because Absalom was dear to him he names his name thrice O my son Absalom my son my son Absalom c. 2 Sam. 18 33. 2dly He says Thy God to shew the Covenant still continued firm if they did but repent and all to keep up hope and that his people might catch thereat as it is said the servants of Benhadad did diligently observe whether any thing would come from the King of Israel and did hastily catch it 1 Kings 20. 33. Oh our iniquities are indeed great exceeding great and are increased over our heads and our trespasses are grown up unto the heavens Ezra 9. 6. But Gods mercy is great not only to the heavens but above the heavens and many and great both are his tender mercies And as the heavens are higher than the earth so are his ways and thoughts higher than ours Psal 108. 4. And he delighteth in mercy It was part of the Lords Name which he proclaimed before Moses The Lord God gracious and merciful abundant in goodness forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin c. Exod. 34. 6 7. And Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities Psal 130. 7 8. And the Lord likes well of this that his people humbling and abasing themselves should yet hope in his merey and not despair the Lords eye is said to be upon them that fear him and withal hope in his mercy yea he is said to take pleasure in such Psal 33. 18. and 147. 11. Expecting all from it and encouraging themselves in it which is so great and withal so free Direct 5. Perseveringly unweariedly resolving to persist in our suits till we prevail as the Saints of old I will not says Jacob let thee go except thou bless me Gen. 32. 26. The Lord bids Moses Let him alone and offers him fair that he would make of him a great nation Exod. 32. 10 11 12 13 14. But that would not take him off but he still besought the Lord his God and prevailed we should resolve as the Prophet Isaiah 62. 1 For Sions sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth And ver 6 7 I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night And ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence And give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth As it is said of the Macedonians that Alexander being displeas'd with them they not only laid by their Arms and put on mourning apparel and came running in troops to his Tent but there continued for near three days together beseeching his pardon till they obtain'd it And God forbid that we should sin against the Lord in ceasing still to pray for England for London c. but strive together in our prayers still for them with all perseverance and this the Lord is well pleased with we never give him more rest than when in this sense we give him least when we still pray and do not faint but follow on with our prayers till we prevail Direct 6. and last That we may Effectually do what we do and make peace Let us take hold of the Lords
gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the Robbers did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned c and the Lord still observes what he does in such a way and sets down and keeps as it were a Catalogue of his Judgments as well as of his Mercies and of peoples deportment under them how they carry it as here in this Chapter The Lord declares all he had done and all their incorrigibleness notwithstanding Yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord and Jer. 8. 6 I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done Every one turned to his course as the horse rushes into the battel Vse 1. Let us then in all that is done see own and acknowledg the Lords hand and humble our selves under the same thus it is said The man of wisdom shall do Mic. 6. 9 The Lords voice crieth unto the City And the man of wisdom shall see thy Name i. e. he shall see thee and own thy hand in what is done the not doing of which the Lord complains of and threatens Isa 26. 11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see c. 2. Let us turn to him that smites and seek the Lord of Hosts as he often invites Hosea 14. 1 O Israel return unto the Lord thy God Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously c. So Joel 2. 12 Therefore also now saith the Lord Turn ye even to me with all your heart c. and seek ye me and ye shall live Amos 5. 4 6. And this the Lord expects Hosea 15 In their affliction they will seek me early Lord in trouble have they visitod thee Isa 26. 16. And peoples not doing of this is the great matter and ground of his complaint and it rolls so in his thoughts that he knows not how as it were to digest it As here in this Chapter it is five times together the matter of the Lords complaint Yet have ye not return'd to me saith the Lord ver 6. So ver 8 9 10 11. So elsewhere Hosea 11. 7 Though they called them to the most High none at all would exalt him They looked after and minded other ways and means of help Isa 22. 8 Thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the Forest c. ver 9 10 11. And they thought in this they were very wise and politick but they neglected the main To look to the Lord and to seek and turn to him ver 11 12 23. And for this the Lord threatned to bring upon them final ruin For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still For the people turneth not to him that smites them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail branch and rush in one day Isa 9. 12 13 14. And therefore as ever we would prevent our own and the Nations ruin let us speedly set upon this yea and encourage one another to this as the best course we can take as the best way we can go as those Hosea 6. 1 2 3 Come say they let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up c. And why gaddest thou about saith the Lord so much to change thy way i. e. the way which I have prescribed thee and that which should be thy way but thou triest other ways and conclusions but in vain and to no purpose they shall avail thee nothing Jer. 2. 36 37 Thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt as thou wast ashamed of Assyria Yea thou shalt go forth from him and thine hands upon thine head a sign of shame and sorrow for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences those ways and refuges thou confidest in and thou shalt not prosper in them Observ 2. Whatever the Lord does or threatens to do to a people in a way of Judgment it is not without cause there is a therefore for it Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and therefore hath he poured upon him the fury of his anger Isa 42. 25. Therefore the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you Mat. 21. 43. And so I might give you hundreds more of such therefores and wherefores but they are every where obvious and therefore I shall not stand to mention them and all declare that whatever the Lord does in à way of Judgment it is not without cause But does not the Lord tell Satan that he moved him against Job to destroy him without cause Job 2. 3 It was indeed without cause as to what Satan did alledg and pretend as to Job which was gross Hypocrisie so without cause but not absolutely for if God narrowly search the best there 's ever cause so as to justifie God as to what he does God indeed sometimes afflicts without respect to sin but still there is cause enough from sin in the best to merit it though not always the moving cause c. Vse 1. This then lets us see the vast difference between Gods acting in a way of Judgment and the sinners in a way of sin For the one is not without cause there is a therefore for it but none for the other There 's no therefore for that we do not indeed suffer without cause but we sin without cause Gods Judgments are not without cause but mans transgressions are and hence is it that the Lord does so Expostulate with his people as concerning their sinful carriages towards him as being without cause nay as having given them great cause to the contrary as Jer. 2. 5 Thus saith the Lord What iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone from me and Verse 31 Have I been a wilderness unto Israel a land of darkness say my people We are lords we will come no more to thee So Mic. 6. 3 4 5 O my people What have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearred thee Testifie against me For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt c. As if the Lord had said I have done indeed much good for thee shewn a great deal of kindness towards thee But what evil or hurt did I ever do to thee So that if it be ask't here Who hath wounds who hath grief who has offence without cause It must be answered God haes O the disingenuity Ingratitude and unreasonableness of sin and sinners Gods Service is indeed most reasonable as that we should love him and live and devote our selves to him Which is yur reasonable service Rom. 12. 1. But sin is unreasonable and sinners That we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men 2 Thes 3. 2. Solomon advises Prov. 3. 30 Strive not with a man without cause if he have done the no harm
she still persists in her suit and Jesus answers and says to her at last O woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt c. Take what thou wilt I have not met with such a woman as thou art that wilt not be said Luk. 11. 8 I say unto you though he will not rise and give him be cause he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth The Greek is impudency and so some render it nevertheless for his impudency sake his immodest persistance taking no denial As you have some sort of Beggars that are so importunate and even impudent that you cannot get gone without an Alms say what you will speak them fair or foul all 's one they will weary you out till they have it And such an holy impudency in prayer so as to take no denial as it is very acceptable to God so exceeding prevalent with God Thus as we are to meet God by prayers and supplications so our prayers if we would prevail are to be thus qualified and being thus qualified how prevalent have they been and what great things have they done in the world when God has come forth against a people and been preparing to do great things against them how have such prayers put a stop to his Judiciary proceedings III. By true Repentance and Conversion with deep humiliation and by thorow and unfeigned reformation which are the two main essential parts of Repentance and thus we are in a special manner to meet God this being a main and principal thing therein and that which he in a special manner when he is in the way of his Judgments puts his people upon and calls and invites them to to repent and turn to him Therefore also now saith the Lord Turn ye even to me with all your heart c. Joel 2. 12. And O Israel Return unto the Lord thy God c. Hosea 14. 1. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Turn ye unto me c. Zeph. 1. 3. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings c. Isa 1. 16 c. Amend your ways and your doings Jer. 7. 3. And so in many other places this is still his call that when he is in the way of his Judgments we should learn righteousness that when he is punishing we should be repenting amending and reforming And thus several Interpreters Expound it Prepare to meet thy God i. e. by serious repentance with true conversion By prayers and penitential tears and amendment of life So Calvin Drusius Mercerus Piscator Junius Dutch and English Annot. And here 1. We are to search and find out our sins Those Achans that trouble our Israel and threaten our ruin we should say as those Lam. 3. 40 Let us search and try our ways c. And so some read those words Zeph. 2. 1 we render them gather your selves together yea gather together but others search your selves narrowly yea search your selves narrowly yea search your selves narrowly i. e. get atoned and reconciled to God and that you may do so enter into your selves and make a diligent and narrow search into your hearts and ways so as to find out those sins which have so heavily provoked the Lord and offended him 2. Having found them out and being convinced of them we are to confess and acknowledg them and that with shame and confusion of face If they shall confess their iniquity c. Levit. 26. 40. Jer. 3. 13. 1 Joh. 1. 9. Prov. 28. 13. 3. We are to mourn for them bewail them and be in bitterness for them Turn to me with weeping and mourning and rent your heart and not your garments Joel 2. 12. I will says David declare mine iniquity and be sorry for my sin Psal 38. 18. And I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh c. Jer. 3. 18. And this sorrow must be chiefly for the offence done to God that we have sin'd against him that so great and good a God and merciful Father has been offended it must be for the bitterness in sin more than for the bitternese for sin and it must be for others sins for the Nations sins as well as our own As Rivers of water run down Davids eyes because others kept not Gods Law Psalm 119. 136. But our sins fetch few tears from our eyes we have hard hearts and dry eyes many complaining but few weeping Penitents we have many rivers but in this respect a dry Island And the Lord hath a mark for such in the saddest times That sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst of them Ezek. 9. 4. 4. We are to judg and condemn our selves for them 1 Cor. 11. 31. Luke 15. 18 19. 5. We are to beg and earnestly seek the pardon of them How earnest was Moses for this If now I have found grace in thy sight pardon our iniquity and our sin c. If thou wilt forgive their sin and if not blot me c. Exod. 34. 9-32 3. He knew they were an undone people unless the Lord did this So Num. 14. 19. And how earnest was David for this as Psal 51 1 2 c. 6. Above all we are to abandon them reform them and turn from them to the Lord to forsake them it must be not only repentance of sin or for sin but from sin Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts c. Isa 55. 7. And upon this God hath promised to hear from heaven and pardon and heal To repent of the evil he thought to do And that iniquity shall not be our ruin 2 Chron. 7. 1. Jer. 18. 8. Ezek. 18. 30 And this is that which hath prov'd very effectual and that when a peoples case hath seem'd even desparate as Judg. 10. God hath told that people he would deliver them no more Go says the Lord and cry unto the Gods which ye have chosen c. ver 13 14. But ver 16 it is said They put away the strange gods from among them and served the Lord and his soul was grievea for the misery of Israel So Jonah 3. 4 Yet forty days and Niniveh shall be overthrown but ver 10 it is said God saw their works that they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil he said he would do unto them and he did it not But however otherwise we pretend to meet God unless withal we do this we do nothing neither will all else that we do avail any thing as to put a stop to Gods Judiciary proceedings And therefore we are thus in a special manner to set our selves to meet God by a speedy breaking off our sins and amending our ways and we should as I said before encourage one another to this as those Hosea 6. 1 Come let us return unto the Lord c. and then a troop
into his bodily Arms and then Lord says he now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Luk. 2. 28 29. And so we shall then meet God in peace and this is a mystery we should ☞ more study and get better acquainted with how in our addresses to God to make use of Christ I am says Christ the way c. and no man cometh to the father but by me John 14. 6. Not with acceptance neither so as to appease please and pacifie him but with me and by me In our addresses to God he says as it were to us as Joseph sometimes said to his Brethren as in reference to their Brother Benjamin He did solemnly protest unto them that except he was with them they should not see his face And therefore say they to their Father If thou wilt send our brother with us we will go down but if not we will not go For the man said unto us ye shall not see my face except your brother be with you Gen. 43. 3 4 5. And therefore they took Benjamin with them And vers 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them he said to the ruler of his house bring those men home and slay and make ready for these men shall dine with me c. I see they have brought Benjamin with them So unless Jesus Christ be with us in our addresses to God our elder Brother there 's no seeing Gods face no finding grace in his sight favour in his eyes but if he be with us then we shall have welcome We are bid What ever we do in word or deed to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus And how much more then so great a thing as this to meet God in the way of his Judgments And if we are to give thanks to God by him much more by him are we to apply our selves to appease and pacifie him being incens'd by our sins And therefore let us be sure so to meet God 1. As being in Christ and then 2. with Christ i. e. so as for acceptation to present him tender him and plead and press and urge him and his merits mediation and satisfaction and that is the way to meet God to purpose and to prevail as to what we meet him for He being the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy-seat or propitiatory through whom alone the Father is propitious and merciful to such who so meet him See Exod. 25. 17 21 22. V. With Presents as Jacob met his incensed Brother Esau and Abigail David Gen. 32. 13 20. 1 Sam. 25. 18. And here the main and principal Present is indeed what I have mentioned already Jesus Christ but yet there are other also which in and thorow him are very pleasing and delightful to God As 1. A broken and contrite heart an heart kindly toucht and affected with sin and afflicted for it and which in a deep sense of it and sorrow for it heartily sighs and longs for the pardon thereof This is said to be The sacrifices of God Psal 51. 17 to denote its singular acceptableness above all other None so pleasing as this nor without this But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Isa 66. 2. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself c. Jer. 31. 18. i. e. bewailing his sins And Josiah's heart being tender and he humbling himself before God how pleasing was it to God Because thy heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self 2 Chron. 34. 27. And this is mentioned again to shew how grateful it was See Psal 34. 18. Isa 57. 15. Matt. 5. 3 4 c. Such seal to what the Scripture says of sin that it is no light or slight matter but an evil and bitter thing c. But how few such Presents have we We have many broken estates and broken credits but few broken hearts Oh! that there were more 2. A willing and obedient heart ready in all things to comply with the mind and will of God yielding up it self to him Lord what wilt thou have me do Act. 9. 6. And speak Lord for thy servant heareth and I am thy servant and will do all that thou bidst me This is very pleasing Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better than sacrifice c. 1 Sam. 15. 22. In Micah 6 We have a People there asking the question vers 6 Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and how my self before the high God Wherewith shall I meet him so as to appease him Shall I come before him with burnt offerings with Calves of a year old vers 7 Will the Lord be pleas'd with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl c No Vers 8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God i. e. to obey and readily comply with him in the duties of both Tables coucht in those expressions To be a willing people Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me Jer. 30. 21 That hath such an hearty desire and ready and willing resolution to comply with me This is that which pleases God indeed But those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Luk. 19. 27. 3. A sincere and upright heart For the Lord hath pleasure in uprightness and the upright in heart are his delight 1 Chron. 29. 17. Prov. 11. 20. Thou desirest truth in the inward parts c. Psal 51. 6. 4. A merciful compassionate heart towards others in their miseries and necessities so as to pity them and to be ready to succour and relieve them Heb. 13. 16 But to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased They are acceptable presents bowels of mercy kindness When we go to meet God What do we go to meet him for but that we may obtain mercy And if we would obtain mercy we must shew mercy For with the merciful God will shew himself merciful Psal 18. 25. And they shall obtain mercy Matt. 5. 7. But he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Jam. 2. 13. When Gods judgments were denounc'd against Nebuchadnezzar that yet there might be a lengthening of his tranquility Daniel counsels him to break of his sins by righteousness and his iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Dan. 4. 27. And this is said to be the fast God hath chosen Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house when thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thy own flesh And then shall thy light break forth as the morning c. Then shalt thou call and the
Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and he shall say here I am c. Isa 58. 6 7 c. Our shewing mercy to others and therein imitating God in his own goodness and kindness though it be not the cause yet is it a comfortable pledg and evidence of our finding mercy with God our selves The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesephorus for he oft refreshed me c. 2 Tim. 1. 16. And the gratefulness of this to God appears from the many exceeding great and precious promises that are made unto it see Psal 41. 1 2 c. 112. 5 6 7 8. Prov. 11. 25. 19 17 c. And that of all other evidences of Faith this is that especially which Jesus Christ will take cognizance of at the last day Come ye blessed c. for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat c. Matt. 25. 34 35 c. And therefore the loss of such is very sad That merciful men men of kindness are taken away Isa 57. 1. And the good man is perished out of the earth Micah 7. 2. Such as for whom some would even dare to dye Rom. 5. 7. VI. By extraordinary fasting afflicting and humbling our selves before the Lord. And this the Lord doth in a special manner in such a day call for and invite unto As in Joel God was there in the way of his judgments And sanctifie ye says he a fast call a solemn assembly gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land unto the house of the Lord your God and cry unto the Lord Alas for the day the day of the Lord is at hand c. And so Joel 2. 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion sanctifie a fast call a solemn assembly c. And thus we find his people still have done when God hath been in the way of his judgments See 1 Sam. 7. 5 6. 2 Chron. 20. 3 c. And thus the very Ninevites did They believed God and proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them For word came unto the king of Niniveh and he arose from his throne and he laid his robe from him c. and caused it to be proclaimed and published thorow Nineveh by the Decree of the King and his Nobles Let neither man nor beast herd nor flock tast any thing let them not feed nor drink water c. Jonah 3. 5 6 7 8 And O that the Lord would put it into the heart of our king and into the hearts of our Nobles to decree and cause it to be proclaim'd that in such a way we might all meet the Lord by fasting afflicting and humbling our selves before him And certainly in such a day for people to be still feasting and making merry what is it but to walk quite contrary to God and in a direct opposition to what he is doing and calling for which much provokes him and which therefore he severely threatens And in that day did the Lord of hosts call to weeping c. Isa 22. 13 14. What day was this You may see Isa 22. 5 A day of trouble and of treading down and of perplexity by the Lord God of Hosts in the valley of Vision c. And then did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping c. But behold joy and gladnefs slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we shall dye And Vers 14 It was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye dye saith the Lord God of hosts And wo to them that are at ease in Sion c. that put far away the evil day that drink wine in bowls c. Amos 1. 3 6 c. CHAP. IV. The Reasons why we are thus to meet God 1. BEcause the great God commands it as here and so after elsewhere yea and dictates withal the way and manner thereof as Hos 14. 1 2. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously And 2 Chron. 7. 14 The Lord there prescribes the very platform thereof If says he they shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways c. and Isa 27. 4 5 Fury is not in me who would set the briars and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together But he gives them better advice i. e. to make peace with him and directs them the way Or let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me And now God commanding us to do this and directing us withall how to do it surely this sufficiently declares it to be our duty and concern both And not to do it What is it but disobedience to God and a kind of slighting and despising of his Soveraignty and Authority 2. He expects it In their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5. 15. And when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness Isa 26. 9. However they neglected to do it before he expects and looks they should do it then And therefore is it then in a special manner their duty to do it 3. Others formerly have done it How often did Moses thus meet the Lord when incens'd against Israel He stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them Psal 106. 23. Thus Samuel and all Israel met him 1 Sam. 7. 5 6. Jehoshaphat and all Judah 2 Chron. 20. 3. Ye the Ninevites Jonah 3. 5 6 7. And it was not without success And surely what others have in such a case done formerly it is no less our duty and concern to do now 4. Because when God is in that way our great work and business is and lies with him he being the great Agent and Efficient in all judgments felt or feared threatned or inflicted I says the Lord form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things Isa 45. 7. And Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth in the seas and all deep places Psal 35. 6. And so he does still at home and abroad by Sea and by Land There is a wheel in the middle of the wheels as Ezekiel saw Chap. 1. 16 which as the Spring in a Watch orders and sets a going all the other and according to the motion of that which is Gods secret Divine Providence so are all motions regulated and ordered and all things are and shall be as he will who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will Ephes 1. 11. Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not Lam. 3. 37. And therefore
so God may be aton'd and reconciliation made The Lord sends his Judgments as his troops against us and there 's no fighting or frighting them away but our way is to Pray them away to Repent them away to Fast them away there 's no raising the Siege by opposition but by humble submission no raising it by force but by an humble falling down at his feet to which let us all address our selves CHAP. VI. And now in the farther prosecution of this Vse I shall only do these Two things 1. Propound some Directions for the better managing of what we do and then 2. Some Motives the more to prevail with us to do it Direct 1. LET us do what we do Joyntly Unite our forces together and besiege as it were the Throne of Grace Gather your selves together yea gather together O Nation not desir'd Zeph. 2. 1 as it is said of those of Tyre and Sidon that Herod being highly displeased with them they came with one accord to him Acts 12. 20 so let us to God it being every ones concern and that which tends to the weal of all and the more here the better and likelier to prevail And thus we find the people of God have done formerly It is said of Judah that they gathered themselves together and out of all the Cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord. And all Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones their wives and their children c. 2 Chron. 20. 4 13 and Ezra 10. 9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together c. We have all one way or other help'd to kindle Gods wrath and we should all therefore joyn together in labouring to quench it We have all help'd to break down the hedg and we should all help to make ir up we have all help'd to open the gap and we should all stand in it And this the Lord calls for Joel 2. 14 Call a solemn assembly gather the Elders and all the Inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord c. So Chap. 2. 15 Blow the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a Fast and call a solemn assembly ver 16 Gather the people assemble the Elders gather the children and those that suck the breast This was the more to affect the parents and stir them up to Repentance those poor infants being like to suffer no small share in that common Calamity caused by the sins of their Parents c. Shall a trumpet be blown in the City and the people not be afraid or as it is in the Margent run together Come and let us return unto the Lord else all are like to share in the Judgment See Isa 24. 1 2 9. 14 c. Direct 2. Speedily without farther delaies For the matter is of too great moment and importance to admit thereof there 's no demurring in such cases Gather your selves together c. before the decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you c. Zeph. 2. 1 2. Thus when Abigail went to meet David it is said She made haste and except says he thou hadst hasted c. 1 Sam. 25. 18 34. And thus he that with ten thousand went to meet him that came against him with twenty thousand while the other was yet a great way off he sends an Ambassage and desireth conditions of peace Luke 14. 31 32. And when wrath was gone out from the Lord against Israel it was Moses his counsel to Aaron to go quickly to the congregation and make attonement for them and it is said he ran necessary things fall not under deliberation but require present expedition and this the Lord still puts us upon as to this great work That we do what we do now quickly Therefore also now says the Lord Turn ye even to me c. Joel 2. 12. And return ye now every one from his evil way c. Jer. 18. 11. Today if ye will hear his voice Agree with thine adversary quickly whiles thou art in the way with him Mat. 5. 25. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is neer Isa 55. 6. And give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness c. Jer. 13. 16 And if ye will enquire enquire ye i. e. speedily there is danger in delaies Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Prov. 27. 1. And therefore when the Lord gives us signs and alarms of war we are to hasten to meet him and make our peace with him lest putting it off it prove too late Our Repentance must not only be true and thorough but speedy and timely say we then as those Zeph. 8. 21 Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also It is too late to think of a treaty or to call for a parley when the battel is joyn'd and Drums are beating and Trumpets sounding So when Judgments are actually come upon us and have taken hold of us Or if we yet should have peace we may smart soundly and pay dearly before we have it and therefore do we speedily what we do Direct 3. Very humbly and self-abasingly For God loves to see the creature stoop and lye low before him He putteth his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope Lam. 3. 29. And therefore in our addresses to God being incens'd by our sins we should go clothed with humility that should be the wear and garb we meet him in our frame should be such as Abraham's of old when he made intercession for Sodom Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. As Jacobs I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed to thy servant c. Gen. 32. 10. As Jobs Behold I am vile and I abhor my self in dust and ashes Job 40. 4. and 42. 6. As Daniels And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes Dan. 9. 3. Thus we should meet the Lord as I hinted before as Jacob met his incensed Brother Esau He bowed himself seven times to the ground As Abigail David She fell before him on her face and bowed her self to the ground and fell at his feet As Benhadads Servants the King of Israel with sackcloth on their loyns and roaps on their heads As the Prodigal his Father and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired servants And God being angry and in the way of his Judgments this is a postuâ—e very sutable and acceptable to God that when he is humbling us we should be humble and that when he is laying us low we should be lowly If my people which are called by my name shall
strength as himself advises us Isa 27. 5 which I hinted before but now shall open and explain or let him take hold of my strength i. e. as some of my self who is called the strength of Israel 1 Sam. 15. 29 and in this sense it suits with that of Isa 64. 7 And there is none that calls upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee i. e. either to keep thee back from going on still in thy Judiciary proceedings or to keep thee that thou dost not depart from us And thus we should in an humble submissive way take hold as it were of the Lord or his arm that he does not still go on to smite or that he do not depart for wo to us if he depart from us it is the very sum and completion of mans misery for God to depart as to his special and gracious presence Or 2dly Of my strength i. e. of my grace and the help and assistance of my Spirit as his strength and sufficiency to this great work without which he cannot as in reference thereunto do any thing and taking strength in this sense then we may be said to take hold of it when we humbly and earnestly beg and intreat it and as our sufficiency hold to it and rely on it to fit and qualifie us to make peace with God by working in us Faith and Repentance To oppose the strength of God is indeed dangerous but thus in an humble way by Prayer and Faith to lay hold on the Lords strength as our strength so as to make peace with him it is both our duty and advantage and it may be read or let him take hold in or with my strength i. e. my help and assistance Some read it let him be strong in my strength and we cannot indeed be strong but in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6. 10. Or 3dly By the Lords strength We may understand the Lords Christ and the riches of his Grace and Mercy in and through him who is called as the Wisdom so also the Power or Strength of God 2 Cor. 21. 24. The Lords strength to pardon and save sinners lies in his mercy and grace and that grace and mercy is in and through his Son and in and through his Merits Mediation Satisfaction and Intercession by which he is impowered and strengthned thereto without any 〈◊〉 of his Justice And therefore that we may make peace with God we must in this sense take hold of his strength i. e. of his Christ and of his grace and mercy in and through him and this we take hold of by believing and when upon any breach made between God and us we apply our selves to God in and through him and plead and urge him as I hinted before and his Merits Mediation Satisfaction and Intercession and wholly and only groâ—nd our hopes thereon And O! what goodness and condescention is this in the great God that whereas he might trample upon sinners he should thus treat them and bespeak them and advise them or let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me c. Let heaven and earth Angels and men admire and adore this goodness and wonderful condescention of the great God! and how shall we escape if we refuse to hearken to him thus graciously and condescendingly advising us what to do as to that wherein we are so infinitely concern'd CHAP. VII The Motives THE relation we stand in to God Motive 1. And this God himself here urges Prepare to meet thy God O Israel He is thy God and it is as if God had said I have not as yet utterly rejected thee â—or cast thee off neither is my Covenant with thee quite disannul'd and made void though thou hast sadly Apostatiz'd from me and therefore being yet thy God let this prevail with thee to meet me for should not Israel meet his God and being angry make his peace with him and be ashamed to continue any longer incorrigible under his hand The Prodigal Son as soon as ever he came to himself resolves I will arise and go to my Father Luk. 15. 17 18. It is my Father and should not children go to their Father a people to their God and this Argument the Lord often makes use of elsewhere O Israel return unto the Lord thy God c. Hosea 14. 1 And return ye back sliding children Jer. 3. 22 23. And shall not our hearts eccho back again as theirs did Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills and from the multitude of mountains truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel And what indeed more beseems a people than to meet their God and being angry to seek to appease him especially others going on still by their sins more and more to provoke him and that they at least should labour to quench his wrath and save the Nation whiles others go on more and more to incense it and destroy the Nation Mot. 2. The consideration of Gods infinite Power Might Majesty and Greatness Which are here in several clear and perspicuous demonstrations most notably and magnificently described and set forth and with a great deal of State and Solemnity displai'd and all the more to affect and move our dull and stupid spirits and indeed it is one of the Stateliest and most Magnificent Descriptions of God that we find in all Holy Writ For lo he that formeth the mountains and createth the wind and declareth unto man what is his thought that maketh the morning darkness and treadeth upon the high places of the earth the Lord the God of Hosts is his Name And it is as if the Lord had said And if my Mercy cannot move thee let at least my Majesty if not my Goodness my infinite Power and Greatness who am he that formeth the mountains c. And now these glorious Titles and Attributes which the Lord here Assumes to himself being here on purpose brought in the more to put us upon this great work that they may the more awaken us and influence us to so good a work I shall a little open and explain each of them in order as they lye and this is all I shall do at present in reference to this 13 ver 1. He formeth the mountains Those huge high and massy bodies indeed he forms all things the meanest Jer. 10. 16 and the mountains also yea he is said To weigh the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance Isa 40. 12 i. e. he can turn them which way he will or overturn them as easily as we do the smallest matters which we weigh in scales and put in or take out of the balance as we please O quam magna tremenda vertus Dei O how great and tremendous is the power of God! 2. He createth the wind That strong and boistrous creature and which though
invisible and not conspicuous as the mountains are has and does do such strange executions both by Sea and Land breaking the Rocks tearing the mountains forcing up Trees by the roots and tossing the mightiest Ships as a Tennis-ball and this God creates brings out of his Treasuries raises stills quiets and orders as he pleases Psal 135. 7 and 107. 25. Some render it the spirit or soul which he alone in a special manner forms and has command and power over as well as over the body and formeth the spirit of man within him Zach. 12. 1. And hence he is said to be in a special manner the God of the spirits of all flesh Num. 16. 22. And the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. 3. He declares unto man what is his thought 1st He knows what is his thought what is in man and needs not that any should testifie of him He searcheth the heart and trieth the reins Jer. 17. 10. And all things are naked and open to him Heb. 4. 13. 2dly He declares to man namely by his word and by awakening his Conscience what is his thought The fool hath said in his heart there is no God c. Psal 14. 1. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever c. The world lies nearest their hearts Thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self c. Psal 50. 21. And with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goes after their covetousness Ezek. 33. 31. Thus the Lord declares to man his thought He discovereth deep things out of darkness and bringeth out to light the shadow of death Job 12. 22. And therefore there 's no hiding any thing from him Some refer this to God what is his own thought he by his Spirit makes known to man his mind 4. He maketh the morning darkness i. e. say some the night to succeed the day and darkness the light and hence the day and night are said to be his Psal 74. 16. Naturae ordinem gubernat distincte vices temporum inter se distribuit He governs the order of nature and distinctions of times c. or he makes the brightest morning all on a sudden darkness by covering the Heavens with Clouds and drawing them as a Curtain or Canopy between us and the light Thus he cloaths the heavens with blackness and makes sackcloth their covering Isa 50. 3. Or we may understand this in a figurative metaphorical sense He maketh the morning darkness i. e. the comfort thereof disconsolateness turns its joy into sorrow its mirth into mourning as he threatneth Amos 8. 9 c. That he would cause the sun to go down at noon and darken the earth in the clear day that he would turn their feasts into mourning and their songs to lamentation c. Thus he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah he made the morning darkness They had a lightsom morning The sun it is said rose upon the earth Gen. 19. 23. But what dismal darkness did the Lord soon make that morning And how often and how many of our mornings has the Lord thus in this sense made darkness What darkness in a spiritual sense did he make our morning when the sun went down over so many Prophets at once and the day became dark over them And for God so to make the morning darkness is exceeding sad indeed So in time of the Plague How did the Lord then make mornings darkness many having their dear Relations well it may be over night but dead in the morning Yea what by reason of continual fears frights mournful sounds and sights how was every morning then as it were made darkness and afforded matter of mourning So when that dreadful Fire brake forth Sept. 2. 66 What darkness did the Lord make that morning and several other after Light they were indeed in regard of Fire and Flames but dark in regard of trouble and distress a morning never to be forgotten And so a-late in Southwark and Warwick-lane c. And it is of the Lords mercies and because his compassions fail not that every morning is not made darkness And therefore let none presume nor be secure as to their mornings for God can soon make them darkness though never so light and bright at present I was at ease says Job but he hath broken me asunder c. Job 16 12. And David In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved but thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30. 67. The watchman said the morning cometh and also the night Isa 21. 12. And give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains and while ye look for light he turn it into the shadow of death and make it gross darkness Jer. 13. 16. Jonah was exceeding glad of the Gourd but a worm when the morning rose smote the Gourd and it withered Jonah 4. 67. Some read the words he maketh the morning and darkness i. e. prosperity and adversity according to that Isa 45. 7 I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil c. Hence says Solomon In the day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adversity consider Eccles 7. 14. What should we consider That both are of God for it follows God also hath set the one over against the other and so should we both being from him and therefore we should take both well and bear the latter patiently as well as entertain the other comfortably especially we deserving more than all the evil we suffer but never deserving the least of the good we receive 5. He treadeth upon the high places of the earth i. e. Those high places and precipices of the earth that are so far above our heads are under his feet he treads upon them as being himself most high exalted far above all Or as some read it He treads down the heights of the earth 1. The highest places of the earth The highest and strongest Edifices Castles Towers Steeples as in this City He brought down them that dwelt on high the lofty City he laid it low he laid it low even to the ground even the highest and most towring places thereof So Garnsey Castle c. The very rocks are thrown down by him Nahum 1. 6. 2. He treads down the highest powers rules and dominions of the earth ' with all their splendour grandeur and glory Dominion and fear are with him Job 25. 2. He rules in the kingdoms of men and gives them to whom he will he putteth down one and setteth up another Psal 75. 7. His is the kingdom power glory victory majesty greatness He is exalted as head above all and reigns over all I will cause says he the kingdom of Israel to cease Hos 1. 4. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it c. Jer. 18. 7. 3. He
so as to be appeas'd towards us and we shall make peace with him as he hath said Isa 27. 5 Or let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me And what then Shall it be in vain No it follows And he shall make peace with me He shall find me exorable and easie to be intreated If I be treated with in such a way and in and through such a one as I offer sinners to be treated with and never indeed was there a treaty with God in Christ for peace in a right way in vain And therefore the Lord inviting us here to prepare to meet him shews us what is good even that which he requires of us to prepare to meet him so that whilâ—s many are saying Who will shew us any good Here 's what is good indeed and not only our duty but our great interest and concern David prays Psal 86. 17 Shew me a token for good and if we were once brought to this this would prove a token for good indeed for good to our selves and to the Nation for God who is now in the way of his Judgments would then return to his ways of Grace and Mercy and then we thus meeting God he will so meet us as to own us bless us accept us and graciously receive us he will meet us with loving-kindness and tender-mercies with the shinings of his Face with the light of his Countenance with his Favour and Love in which is life yea which is better than life Psal 30. 5-63 3. With hïs blessing and choicest blessings with Grace Pardon Peace Reconciliation c. and then as his going forth is prepared so shall it by us be experienc'd as the morning or Sun-rising to the world and he shall come unto us as the rain as the former and latter rain unto the earth And what a compleat blessing are Sun and Rain to the earth and the same in his accesses will he be to us and then he will meet us as Esau met Jacob Who ran to meet him and imbrac'd him and fell on his neck and kissed him Gen. 33. 4. As Aaron met Moses Who when he saw him was glad in his heart Exod. 4. 14. As Joseph met his Brethren when he made himself known to them Gen. 45. As the Father met his returning Prodigal who when he was yet a great way off saw him and had compassion on him and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him Lnke 15. 20. As David met Abigail Who accepted her person and presents and said to her Go up to thy house in peace See I have hearkned to thy voice c. 1 Sam. 25. 35. And ver 33 Blessed says he be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging my self with my own hand for in very deed as the Lord God of Israel liveth except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me surely there had not been left c. So will God say to you Who shall indeed thus meet him You are the blessed of the Lord who made heaven and earth And blessed be you and blessed be your work and blessed be the way and course you took to meet me in the way of my Judgments for in very deed unless you had hasted to come to meet me unless you had made up the hedg and stood in the gap before me for the Land I had destroy'd it I had poured out my indignation upon them I had consumed them by the fire of my wrath and their own way had I recompensed upon their heads But blessed be you who prevented me And what an honour and what a blessed thing is this What ground of singular comfort may it afford to be instrumentally the faviours of a Nation and to keep it from ruin and to have the salvation thereof as instrumental to lie at our door and to prevail with God for mâ—rcy not only for our selves but others the Nation Mot. 6. Sixthly and lastly The Lord will not only so meet us but remain and still abide with us and build up mercy among us for ever Then the hope of Israel the saviour thereof in the time of trouble will not be as a stranger in the land nor as a wayfaring man that turns aside to tarry for a night but as an home-dweller and will perform that everlasting Covenant That he will not turn away from after us to do us good but continue to do us good with his whole heart and his whole soul and we shall be his rest and his rest shall be glorious and therein will he say will I dwell for I have desired it And then Glory shall dwell in our land and mercy and truth shall meet together righteousness and peace shall kiss each other and then this City the City of our solemnities shall recover its pristine glory and grandeur and become famous and renown'd a City sought out and not forsaken Isa 62. 12 and as iniquity brought it low and was its reproach so righteousness shall again exalt it and be its praise and we shall then see our Jerusalem a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down nor one of the stakes removed or cords broken but there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams c. Isa 33. 20 21. And in that day shall that song be sung We have a strong city salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks and upon all the glory shall be a defence yea the Lord himself will be its defence and keep it he will water it every moment lest any hurt it he will keep it night and day And then the name of this City yea and Kingdom too shall be what God once said should be the name of that City which we read of Ezek. 48. 35 As that wherein its happiness and chief good should consist Jehovah Shammah the Lord is there Amen and Amen FINIS Books Printed for and are to be sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside Books 4to THE Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration by George Swinnock M. A. Horologiographia optica Dyaling universal and particular speculative and practical togetheu with a description of the Court of Arts by a new Method by Sylvanus Morgan A seasonable Apology for Religion by Matthew Pool Separation no Schism in answer to a Sermon preached before the Lord Mayor by J. Clarkson The Morning-Lecture against Popery preached by several ministers of the Gospel in or near London Four useful discourses being an Appendix to the art of Contentment in three Sermons by Jeremiah Burroughs Dr. Wilds Letter of thanks and Poems A new Copy-book of all sorts of useful hands The Saints priviledg by dying by Mr. Scot. The new World or new-reformed Church by Doctor Homes The Vertuous Daughter a Funeral-Sermon by Mr. Brian The Miracle of Miracles or Christ in our Nature by Dr. Rich. Sibbâ—s The unity and essence of the Catholich Church visible by Mr. Hudson The intercourse of Divine Love between Chriâ—â— and the Church or the particular Believing soul in several Lectures on the whole second Chapteâ— of Cant. by John Collins D. D. Large 8vo The sure mercies of David or a second part of Heart-treasure Heaven or Hell here in a Good or Bad Conscience by Nath. Vincent Heaven taken by Storm by Tho. Watsen The Childs Delight together with an English Grammar Aâ—sop's Fables with morals thereunto in English Verse The Young-mans Instructor and the Old-mans Remembrancer being an Explanation of the Assemblies Catechism Captives bound in Chains made free by Christ their Surety both by Tho. Doolittle Eighteen Sermons preached upon several Texts of Scripture by William Whitaker The Saints care for Church-Communion declared in sundry Sermons preached at St. James Dukes-place by Zech. Crofton The Life and Death of Fdmund Stanton D D. To which is added a Treatise of Christian conference and a Dialogue between a Minister and a Stranger FINIS
of mercies comes there will be healing and binding up and verse 2 3 reviving raising up and living in his sight and then his going forth shall be as the morning and he shall come to us as the rain as the latter and former rain unto the earth But without this we must expect inevitable ruin as the Lord threatens again and again see Isa 9. 13 14. Jer. 15. 7 Ezek. 24. 12 13 14. You know what Christ said to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his plaee except thou repent And wo to us if he and his Gospel go from us Psal 22. 27 It is there said All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord. And O that at length we might remember and do so remember our selves and how much it is our own and the Nations concern and turn unto the Lord. Shall we always forget God and our selves too How long shall our sins be a snare to us Know we not yet that England is in danger to be destroy'd And do we not see his anger is not yet turned away but his hand is stretched out still Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more Job 34. 31 32. And till we do this we do not only forget our selves but we are not our selves we are not only out of our way but out of our wits Sin being so great an evil yea the greatest and chieâ—est and indeed only true evil the cause of all other and it self the worst punishment the work of the Devil yea worse than the Devil and Hell and which nothing can expiate but Christs blood c. And then to repent and turn to the Lord is every way so much our concern and that which makes so infinitely for our own and the Nations weal that were we but our selves or in our right minds we could not but resolve on it as it is said of the Prodigal Son that as soon as ever he came to himself He said I will arise and go to my Father c. So that before he was not himself no more are we till we repent and turn to God then and not till then is it that we are our selves and do indeed remember our selves and our own and the Nations great concern and O that the Lord therefore would be pleas'd so to remember us that we might at length thus remember our selves and him too so as to turn to him by conversion without which will follow inevitahle destruction IV. In and with a Mediator even that One and only Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 1. 5. For so great is the distance between God and us and such is our sinfulness and great unrighteousness by reason thereof that there can be no meeting God with acceptance without a Mediator and this Mediator is Jesus Christ alone and hence we are said to come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. And in him to have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Eph. 3. 12. And but in and with him there is no coming to God with acceptance In him i. e. bâ—ing in him by faith united to him as Paul speaks oft of the Saints as being in Christ Col. 1. 2. Rom. 16. 7 11 c. and of himself he says I knew a man in Christ 2 Cor. 12. 2. And how happy is it to be indeed in him especially in such evil days and perilous times as these are for can we be better he being the hiding-place from the wind and the covert from the tempest As rivers of water in a dry plece as the shad w of a great rock in a weary land Isa 3â— 2. and The peace when the Assyrian comes into the land Mic. 5. 5. And being in him are we safe whatever dangers come happy whatever miseries come and shall be found in peace whatever troubles come And what then can we know more or better than this or what avails all else we know unless we know this That we are in Christ and when we are in him then are we fit to meet God indeed and not till then for without him or sever'd from him we can do nothing and to such as are out of him God is as a consuming fire and what then will such do in the day of visitation that have not as yet fled to Christ for refuge and gotten into him If a man abide not in me he 's cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Joh. 15. 6. 2. As we are to meet God in him united to him by faith so with him i. e. God being incens'd by our sins we are when we go to meet God to take him along with us and present him and make use of him who is so dearly beloved and with whom the Father is so well pleased and in and through whom alone he comes to be well pleas'd with us and therefore in our addresses to God we must be sure not to pass him by God having made him to be for us in things pertaining to him as the Scripture declares For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God c. Heb. 5. 1. And that he might be a merciful and faithful high-priest in things pertaining to God or to be done with God chap. 2. 17. And we have many things to be done with God and things of very great concern and O! what a mercy is it that we have such a one made ordained and appointed for us as to whatever appertains and is to be done with God and among other this is one main thing The rendring us in our addresses to him acceptable And being incens'd by our sins to get him appeas'd and pacified and now Christ as to this is made and ordained by God for us and therefore in our addresses to him as ever we would find acceptance and have him meet us in mercy so as to find grace in his sight we must be sure as I said not to pass him by but take him along with us and present him tender him and make use of him and to beg os God to look upon us in and thorow him As David Ps 14. 9 Look upon the face of thine annointed i. e. of thy Christ of thy Messiah and let me for his sake find acceptance So Dan. 9. 17 Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate for the Lords sake Thus if we would meet God so as to pacifie him we must carry Christ as it were in our Arms in the arms of our Faith as old Simeon got him once