ENGLAND'S Present, Great, and most Incumbent DUTY: VIZ. To meet God in the Way OF HIS judgements.  
By Robert Perrot, Minister of the Gospel.  
Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.  
Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me,  Isa. 27. 4, 5. Quem, nullae munitiones nostrae, a perficiendo judicio aversurae sunt, nos ipsi unica resipiscentia, amolituri sumus. Junius. 
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurst, at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside, and at the Bible upon London-Bridg. 1676.   

READER,  
THOU hast here, though plainly, yet faithfully and impartially held forth unto thee, thine and every ones (that tenders the Nations weal) Present, Great, and most Incumbent Duty. viz. To meet God in the way of his Judgements: In which he hath often, and is still coming forth; and in which, unless we speedily meet him, who knows how far he may proceed, His anger not being turned away, but his hand (several ways) stretched out still? The Lord hath made us not only Ministers, but Watchmen, Ezek. 3. 17, Son of man, I have made thee a Watchman to the house of Israel— And as such we are to warn and make people ware, what the great God is doing in the World; and to excite and stir them up to their duty, accordingly, we are to dictate, not only what is seasonable at all times; but what more especially at such a juncture of time, which judging that which follows so to be at this time. viz. To meet God in the way of his Judgements: yea, so, as nothing can be more: hath occasioned this discourse: and therefore as for Apologies for what is here made Public, especially by one so unfit for so great a work; let the too great seasonableness, as well as usefulness and concern thereof, serve at once for all. The public weal not only warrants, but exacts the doing our utmost as to what especially has more than an ordinary tendency thereunto. Here's no despising of Dominions, no speaking evil of Dignities, nor pleading for Parties, but only for what is every one's great duty and concern. viz. Our speedy betaking ourselves to that which may help to secure the whole, and yet save a sinking Nation. It is said of Croesus his Son, that though he was dumb, yet seeing his Father about to be slain, the dumb child spoke: And surely the serious consideration of the deplorable estate that this Nation is at present in, both in regard of the many heinous and grievous sins daily perpetrated in it, as also the heavy Judgements impendent over it; is enough to make even a dumb man speak, if possibly he might dictate aught that might prevent its final ruin. And what can be dictated as more seasonable, or sovereign, than what the Lord himself in such a case dictates, viz. To prepare to meet him?  
And surely the many grey hairs that are here and there at this day upon England (as sometimes upon Ephraim, Hosea 7. 9) at home, and that Universal Deluge of Affliction which hath well nigh overwhelm the Church of God abroad; speak it high time to awake out of sleep, and now if ever, to stir up ourselves to take hold of God, and humble ourselves, and reform at a more than ordinary rate. And in that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and mourning, etc. And what day was that? Ver. 5, A day of trouble, and treading down, and perplexity, by the Lord God of Hosts, in the Valley of Vision, etc. And where almost is it not so? And should not this be something to us at home? And therefore we may now say of laughter, it is mad; and of sensual mirth what doth it? And if ever, That of the Apostle James is now seasonable, Chap. 4. 9, 10, Be afflicted and mourn, etc. woe (says one) to our jolly, hardened professors, who have no brokenness for sin, that threatens the destruction of the Land of their Nativity; and if such be Penitents, (says the same) they are gaudy ones, fit for the Stage and Tyring-room of Vanity, than the House of Mourning. I have read, that one of the wisest Statesmen of this Kingdom that ever was, had this Verse written upon his Study door,  Anglica gens est optima flens, & pessima ridens. 
The English Nation is best weeping, and worst laughing. I am sure we are never in more danger, than when most secure. And what Ocean of tears is sufficient to bewail our sins? It is notably, and no less truly observed by a worthy Writer 
England's Imminent Danger. p. 55.  o'late: That We in this Nation engross, and set up a Monopoly of Vice, and have made this Land the Stews of the whole World, and the very drain and sink of the sins of former times; as if all Miscreants were here met, as at a general Rendezvouz: And how (says the same Author) have the filthy streams and channels of all Nations, disgorged themselves in this Common-shore of Iniquity. We may here behold the old World's oppression, the fullness of Bread, idleness and filthiness of Sodom, the pride of Jerusalem, the drunkenness of Holland, the vanity of France, the uncleanness of Spain, the Iron-yoak of Egypt, the furnace of Babylon, etc. And we are building up the confused Babel of our sins and guilt, to such a prodigious height, that we seem to threaten Heaven itself, and as if we meant to pull God himself off his Throne. How many know no other breeding but to sin with impudence? nor bravery, but to brave it out against the great God, and charge upon their own ruin? So that former times brought forth but Punies to our Anakins in wickedness. And how do sinners strive for mastery in sin, as if there was an excellency therein? Never was there a Nation more signalised with God's goodness, nor more prodigious in wickedness, fuller of stupendious sins, and yet fuller of stupid impenitency; being deaf to the loudest cry of God's sorest judgements, and making no other use of them, but to defeat their design. And shall not the great God visit for these things, and his soul be avenged on such a Nation as this? Can such sins, and a Nations safety; such impiety, and a Nations impunity, stand long together; surely was it not that God's Mercy is great above the Heavens, and his Patience Infinite as himself, we had long ago been as Sodom, and like unto Gomorrah; but bowels of mercy have hitherto prevailed against the pleas of Justice, as to an utter overthrow. How shall I give thee up England? how shall I make thee as Admah? etc. And let therefore these riches of the goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering of God, at length lead us to repentance and amendment. Gather yourselves together, O Nation not desired, before the Decree bring forth: our Repentance had need run, lest God's sentence outrun it. Currat poenitentia ne prae currat sententia.  
I have studied plainness, and given but an hint of what I might much more have enlarged; That this being so much the duty and concern of all, it might not exceed the capacity of any; and that neither the Price nor prolixity thereof, might discourage any from the procuring and reading thereof. We have many hot disputes, and controversies at this day among ourselves. But it were well, we all now jointly and unanimously set ourselves to compromise, and take up that controversy which the great God hath with us, and to appease that wrath, which by reason of our many, great and crying sins, is so justly incensed against us, and has afresh o'late broken out several ways among us; to put us upon which, is the main purport and design of the ensuing discourse, to which that it may prove subservent, shall be the prayer of him, who is, and remains  
Studious and desirous of thine and the Nations weal. R. Perrot.   

An Advertisement.  
THere is extant by the same Author, a Larger Treatise, Entitled, England's sole, and Sovereign way of being saved, grounded upon Psal. 80. 19, Turn us again, O Lord God of Hosts: cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.   

England's present, great, and most incumbent Duty, viz. To meet God in the way of his Judgements.  Amos IU. 12, 13. 
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.  
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.  

CHAP. I. The general Scope, Coherence, Parts, and Explication of the Words.  
THE Lord had inflicted several Judgements upon this People already, 1. He had given them cleanness of teeth, and want of bread, ver. 6. 2. Withheld the rain from them, ver. 7, 8. 3. Smitten them with blasting and mildew, ver. 9 4. Sent among them the Pestilence, (as he hath among us.) 5. Slain their young men with ehe sword, and taken away their horses, (as he hath done ours,) ver. 10. Yea, 6. He had overthrown some of them, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah; and they were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning, ver. 11. And yet they, notwithstanding all these Judgements, remaining still incorrigible, and not returning to the Lord: The Lord thereupon resolves, 〈…〉: Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel● and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel, etc.  
In the words, we have 1st, The Lords Minatory Resolution; Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel.  
2. His seasonable Admonition, and that is, that Israel (because he will do this) prepare to meet him.  
3. We have this Admonition backed and enforced, by an Argument drawn from the Consideration of God's infinite Power, Might, Majesty, and Greatness; of which we have here a most ample Description, ver. 13, He formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, etc. and he that doth all this, the Lord, the God of Hosts is his Name.  
Explication.  
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, etc. this therefore refers to their incorrigibleness under former Judgements, as the ground of the Lords present Resolution: Thus will I do unto thee: How? This Interpreters several ways make out, 1st, thus, i. e. say some, as I have before threatened, Verse 2, 3, Or thus, i. e. as thy incorirgibleness deserves, and calls for: Or 3dly, thus, i. e. worse than ever I have done, yet I will come with a severer struck so Calvin and others: Or 4thly, the Lord by expressing himself thus, would the more point out the dreadfulness of the stroke, as being above what could be expressed; and therefore wraps it up in silence, and leaves it to them to imagine what it would be.  
— Prepare to meet thy God: I find Expositors Interpreting this in a double sense: 1st, As spoken Ironically, i. e. in a way of holy derision at this People's obstinacy, and fool hardiness; as if the Lord had said, Seeing then you will not be reclaimed, but still stand it out against Me, and I also am resolved to go on, to do as I have said; and do Proclaim open war against you, as Enemies and Rebels, Prepare then to meet me: muster up your forces, and gather together your strength, and make the best preparations you can, and see if you be able to withstand Me, or keep off that final Destruction which I have determined to bring upon you. And so this is like to the message which Jehu sent to the rulers of Jezreel, and those that brought up Ahabs children, 2 Kings 10. 1, 2, 3, etc. And this agrees well enough with the sequel; for lo, he that formeth the mountains, etc. as if the Lord had said, And you had need to make all, and the best preparation that you can; for you have a God to contest with, and he a God of infinite Power, Might, Majesty and Greatness; he formeth the mountains, etc. and the Lord, the God of Hosts is his Name.  
But others understand it rather as spoken in a plain genuine sense, viz. that Israel should meet him in an humble penitential way, so as to endeavour to appease him; and so prevent that final overthrow, which else was like to come upon them: and so we are to look upon the words, not so much as a challenge, but as seasonable counsel and advice to Israel, to prevent yet, if possible, their ruin, and so I shall understand it at present: and thus it seems the rather to be taken, because the Lord does in the very next Chapter, several times invite them to seek him, that they might live, as ver. 4, Seek ye me, and ye shall live, and ver. 6, etc. Indeed their case seemed even desperate, and God seemed to have shut up against them the gate of mercy; but the Lord hints yet to them, that if they did but timely prepare to meet him, there might be hopes yet of pacifying of him.   

CHAP. II. The several collateral Observations.  
Obs. 1. WHatever is done to a people in a way of Judgement, It is the Lord that does it: Therefore thus will I do unto thee: and ver. 6, I also have given you cleanness of teeth, etc. and Amos 3. 6, Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? Our sins indeed they occasion and procure what is done; put him upon such work, as he tells Jerusalem, Jer. 4. 18, Thy way and thy do have procured these things unto thee: this is thy wickedness, etc. and the Lord makes use of what Instruments he pleases, in executing what is done, but still he does it: whoever are the Instruments, he is still the great Agent, and Efficient: Affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground, Job 5. 6. Judgements are not casual, but providential. Isa. 42. 24, Who 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 Judgements, as well as of his Mercies, and of people's 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 harkened and heard, but they spoke not aright; no man repent him of his wickedness, saying, what have I done? Every one turned to his course, as the horse rushes into the battle.  
Use 1. Let us then in all that is done, see, own, and acknowledge the Lords hand, and humble ourselves under the same: thus it is said, The man of wisdom shall do, Mic. 6. 9, The Lord's 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, etc.  
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, etc. So Joel 2. 12, Therefore also now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, etc. 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 returned 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, etc. ver. 9, 10, 11. And they thought in this they were very wise and politic; 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 threatened 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, etc. 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.  
Observe. 2. Whatever the Lord does, or threatens to do, to a people in a way of Judgement, 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 Judgement, 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 allege, and pretend as to Job, which was gross Hypocrisy: so without cause, but not absolutely; for if God narrowly search the best, there's ever cause, so as to justify 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, etc.  
Use 1. This then lets us see the vast difference between Gods acting in a way of Judgement, 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 not therefore for that: we do not indeed suffer without cause, but we sin without cause: Gods Judgements are not without cause, but man's 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? Testify against me. For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, etc. As if the Lord had said, I have done indeed much good for thee, shown a great deal of kindness towards thee: But what evil or hurt did I ever do to thee? So that if it be asked 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. God's Service is indeed most reasonable, as that we should love him, and live and devote ourselves 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. But how do sinners strive with God without cause, when he has done them no harm, but much good? And how sad is this? for shall evil be recompensed for good? Sinners (it is said) love those that love them, and do good to those that do good to them, Luke 6. 32, 33. It is thus indeed as to Men, but not to God. Sinners (as one expresses it) carry themselves as Men towards Men, but as Devils towards God, acting below the very principles of common humanity, and their own nature as Men, as if they had not the hearts of Men; no principle being more deeply engraven in the hearts of Men, than this, to do good to those who do good to them; but sinners do evil to that God, who does good to them, and never did them hurt. They load, and weary him with their iniquities, and make him to serve with their sins, who daily loads them with his benefits; and sin against a Thousand mercies: So that God may say to sinners, what Christ sometime said to the Jews; For which of my good works is it that you stone me? John 10. 32. That you go on to sin against me, is it because I made you? or because I have ever since preserved you? (For we could as soon make ourselves, as preserve ourselves) or is it because I daily still sustain you, feed you, cloth you, and every way take care of you, and provide for you? O the reflection upon this another day, that there was no Cause, no Therefore, for sinners carrying it so towards God as they did, will be a great part of that worm of Conscience in Hell, which shall never die. And this made those in Judges 2, when the Angel of the Lord had convinced them of the unreasonableness of their actings, Why, says the Angel, have ye done this? This made them lift up their voice and weep, and make the place where they were, a very Bochim, vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.  
Use 2. Then let us justify the Lord in all he does, and acknowledge that he is righteous, not doing what he does without cause; but there being a Therefore for it. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel. Has the Lord sent among us the Sword? and after that the Plague? Yea, and after that, Fire, and several other judgements, as Gripes, strange sicknesses, Seasons, Storms, Tempests, Breaking us at Sea, and causing strange Inundations at Land? And is not his anger yet turned away, but is his hand stretched out still? As we have seen a▪ late, in that dreadful Fire in Southwark; and again, a▪ late at Northampton, to the great consternation of that people. None of these are without cause, but there's a Therefore for them all; and therefore let us say as the Church, Lam. 1. 18, The Lord is righteous, for we have rebelled, etc. And as Daniel ●. 7, O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee; but unto us confusion of faces, etc.  
Use. 3. Let this then quiet us, and cause us patiently to bear what ever the Lord hath, or may further inflict upon us; as the Prophet Micah resolves chap. 7. 9, I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. That is very observable to this purpose, which we read, Ezek. 13. 22, 23, where the Lord says of a Remnant there that should escape, That as concerning all the evil he should bring upon Jerusalem, when they should see what cause there was for what he did, they should be comforted concerning it all; a strange expression! The Lord had done fore and heavy things against Jerusalem, inflicted grievous judgements, he mentions four, viz. The Sword, Famine, noisome Beasts, and Pestilence: And not only 'gainst the Land, and City, but against the Temple: Read the Book of Lamentations. And yet when that Remnant should see the ways and do of those against whom God had done it, they should see such cause for what God had done, that it is said, as concerning all that God had done, They should be comforted, i. e. contented, silenced, well satisfied, and not have a word tosay, as concerning all that the Lord had brought upon them. Pray peruse the place, it is worthy your serious observation, Vers. 22, Yet behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: Behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their do (Their manner and course of lise and conversation, how evil it hath been), and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it. And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways, and their do: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause, all that I have done in it, says the Lord. And truly such have been, and still are at this day, the daring, crying sins, and abominable wickednesses of this Nation, yea, and of this City, as to the generality of us: Such is our pride every manner of way, in our Gait, Habit, Hair, Apparel, yea in our very Nakedness; such are our garish, ranting, flaunting, immodest Attires and Dresses, so contrary to the fear of the Lord, and the profession of Godliness: Such our Luxury, Sensuality, Excesses, Revellings, Drunkenness, desperate Security; such our horrid and open profanations of God's Name and Day, such our Atheism, Oaths, Errors, Heresies, Blasphemies, Perjuries, Superstitions, Idolatries, Oppressions, Cruelties, Thefts, Murders, Whoredoms, Adulteries, Uncleannesses, Hatred of God and his Ways, and the power of Godliness. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, sinners breaking out, and blood touching blood, Hos. 4. 2. In a word, such are our prodigious and execrable impieties of all sorts and kinds whatsoever: That  evils the Lord hath, or may yet further bring upon us, or what ever he do with us; we have cause to be comforted, i. e. silenced, satisfied, and never open our mouths more. Why criest thou (saith God) for thinc affliction? Thy sorrows are incurable, for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee, Jer. 30. 15. And wherefore says the Lord, will you plead with me? Jer. 2. 29. They were ready to plead against God, as if he had been rigorous towards them; but wherefore, says the Lord, will you plead with me? ye have all transgressed against me, and let that silence you, and well it may: For there's more true real evil in one sin, the least sin, than in all other evils whatsoever: the evil of punishment being little to the evil of sin; the bitterness for sin, to the bitterness in sin; one strikes but at the creature, the other at the Creator, at God; one at what is finite, the other at what is infinite, etc.  
Use. 4. Let us labour then to find out the Cause, and get it removed: Let us not stand complaining, but shall upon searching and trying, for there is a Therefore for what the Lord doe●: For what ever he has done, or goes on still farther to do. As the Lord said to Joshua, when Israel fled before the Men of Ai, and were smitten, and Joshua fell to the earth upon his face, and was much troubled, Get thee up, saith the Lord, wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, etc. As if the Lord had said, Is there not cause for what is done? And let us therefore bespeak one another as they did, Lam. 3. 39, 40, 41, 42, Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord: let us lift up our heart, with our hands, unto God in the Heavens▪ We have transgressed, and we have rebelled, etc.  
Observe. 3. Although the Lord hath inflicted several judgements already upon a people for their sins; yet unless they return unto him, he hath more and heavier still to inflict; yea, and will inflict them, unless they return unto him. How many judgements doth the Lord here reckon up, that he had inflicted upon this people already? Want of bread, of rain, blasting, mildew, pestilence, sword, & c? And yet he had more and heavier still to inflict. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel. And how often does the Lord tell his people, in Levit. 26, that if they yet walked contrary to him, and would not hearken to him, he would bring seven times more plagues upon them, vers. 21, 24, 28, etc. The Lords quiver is full of Arrows. We have Four mentioned together, Ezek. 14. 21, The sword, the famine, the noisome beast, and the pestilence. And hath not England experienced this, That the Lord hath variety of judgements to inflict? For how many hath the Lord inflicted upon us, one after another, and sometimes several together? The Lord he sent the Sword, which did eat the flesh, and drink the blood of many; and when that would not do, he sent the Pestilence, That walked in darkness, and wasted at noonday: Did execution continually; laying waste whole Families, and making desolate all their company, sweeping away in and about this City, in less than a years space, near, if not above, A Hundred Thousand; making burying-work, till there was scarce room to bury in. Thus the Lord first sent fire into our bones, as the Church complains, Lam. 1. 13, From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them. And when this would not do, he sends a dreadful Fire into our Habitations, which swallows up both them and our Estates; so that before we were scarce got out of one Fire, another devours us; one our Houses, another ourselves; one our Persons, the other our Portions and Estates; as the Lord threatened the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, Ezek. 15. 7, And I will set my face against them, they shall go out from one fire, and another shall devour them, etc. And when these would not do, how many more judgements has the Lord inflicted upon us since? So many, that it is hard to reckon them up, strange Gripes, and other grievous sicknesses; strange Seasons, grievous Storms, Tempests breaking us at Sea, and causing strange Inundations at Land, such as have not been in our days, no not in our Father's days before us. Thus that the Lord hath many and various judgements to inflict upon a people for their sins, Gods dealing with us here in this Nation, abundantly evidences.  
Use 1. Let us all then learn to fear this God, who hath so many, and so various judgements to inflict on a people for their sins; who though he hath inflicted several already, hath yet more to inflict and heavier, whose quiver is so full of Arrows. I will, says the Lord, heap mischiefs upon them, I will spend my arrows upon them. The sword without, and terror within, etc. Deut. 32. 23, 25. There are many Plagues, that are written in this Book, and many that are not written; Deut. 28. 61. And shall not all then fear him? O let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him, Psal. 33. 8. Who would not fear thee, O king of nations? for to thee doth it appertain, etc. Jer. 10. 7. And you know what Christ says to his friends, Be not afraid of them that can kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do: But fear him that hath more yet that he can do, that after he hath killed, can cast into Hell, Luke 12. 4, 5. And therefore Christ's says again, fear him.  
Use 2. Let us no longer then stand it out against him, but speedily and forthwith come in, and submit unto him; for if we do not, he hath still more judgements to inflict, more mischiess to heap, more arrows to spend, his quiver is not emptied, nor are his arrows all drawn out, or exhausted; but will therefore overcome when he judges, subdue, or destroy. If devouring us as a Lion will not do, he can be as a Moth, as he threatens, Hos. 5. 12, Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a Moth, etc. secretly and insensibly consuming us. If whips will not do, he has scorpions; if not footmen, he has horses, Jer. 12. 5. If not winds to fan and to cleanse, he has winds utterly to lay waste. He can bring over us, the same judgements again, as Sword, Pestilence, Fire, Flames, the last of which he hath eminently done o'late, as (not to mention other) at Northampon: which (our mother City being before consumed) was next, (as being one of her principal daughters) dreadfully consumed also; and where very lately the Fire hath broken out again, and burned a great part of the remainder thereof. So lately in Southwark, in a few hours how many hundreds of Houses were there suddenly consumed? And a dreadful and lamentable Fire was there o'late in Warwick-lane? So I call it, because though there was but one House burnt, yet Seven Persons were consumed in 
☞  that One House: Dreadful indeed! for we do not read of so many consumed, no not in that great desolating Fire in 66, when 87 Parishes were burned down to the ground within the Walls, and several without, and according to the computation of some, above Thirteen thousand Houses, and yet not so many Persons consumed as in this one House! O! it is lamentable and dreadful indeed, when God by Fire shall consume not only our Houses and Estates, but ourselves; not only our Portions, but Persons; not only dead Walls, but living Wights! Or God can inflict yet other and heavier, as Famine, a sore and heavy Arrow indeed! one of the dreadfullest Arrows in the Lord's Quiver; which (blessed be God) we have not as yet experienced, at least in late years: though formerly in the year 700, History tells of a Famine here in England, of three years' continuance, so violent, that not only many daily died for hunger, but great numbers joining hand in hand, 40 or 50 in a company, threw themselves headlong into the Sea. And this judgement stared them o'late in the face, in New-England, as one writes, several Horses being there eaten, in pursuit of the enemy, for want o● provisions. But though the Lord hath some times threatened this, yet blessed be God he hath not yet inflicted it. How dreadful an Arrow this is, appears by the monstrous and horrid effects thereof, as Lam. 4. 10, The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children, they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. O tremble ye women that are at ease, and hear and be troubled ye careless daughters, Isa. 32. 9, 11. For what are we better than they? This cannot but be looked upon as exceeding sad, heavy, and horrid, as indeed it is! But what is sin then, that occasions this? Thus the Lord has this, and several other judgements yet to inflict; as Captivity, Earthquakes, of which, in several Counties there has been somewhat o'late: Or the Lord can punish, by resolving to punish no more, I mean with outward punishments: As he threatens, Hos. 4. 14, I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery, etc. and vers. 17, Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone. And Isa. 1. 5, Why should ye be stricken any more? etc. And this is very sad! For though former judgements have not wrought upon a people, yet there may be hopes, God pursuing them still with judgements, that they may at length be prevailed with; but where Remedies are no more used, it argues the case desperate: And God hath not only temporal, but spiritual judgements to inflict, which though lest feared, or felt, are the sorest and heaviest of all. As to be under a spirit of slumber, to hear, but not to understand; to see, but not perceive; to have hearts made fat and gross, and ears dull of hearing, etc. Rom. 11. 8, etc. To be given up to strong delusions, and to believe lies, 2 Thes. 2. 10, 11, 12, as many are in these days, because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved: nor believed the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. So for people to be given up to their own hearts lusts, and to walk in their own counsels, as Psal. 8. 12, So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts, etc. A dreadful so indeed! one of the saddest in the whole book of God: worse than to be given up to the Plague, Sword, etc. So we read of a spiritual judgement upon Egypt, Isa. 19 11, 12, 13, 14, etc. God having mingled a perverse spirit, a spirit of frowardness, foolishness and madness, in the midst thereof; so as to deprive them of all wisdom and understanding, that they could neither give counsel, nor know which way to turn themselves, but erred in every work of their hands, and were like a drunken man lying in his Vomit, who the more he stirs, the more he defiles himself; and so the more they went on to give counsel, the more harm and mischief they did: So that all were confused, and neither persons of high nor low degree, had their wits or senses about them, neither did any of their businesses prosper, or were brought to perfection. Herodotus writes of a certain King of Egypt, called Psammetychus, that he lay with a mighty Army 29 years complete before the City of Azotus: A wise enterprise, was it not? Thus the Lord wants not plagues still to inflict upon an incorrigible people; so that if we still stand it out against him, we shall certainly fall before him, and he will carry it, and have the day.  
Obser. 4. If God's Israel, if his people refuse to return to him, they must expect no more to be spared than others. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel. God is here no respecter of persons. Jer. 15. 7, I will destroy my people (such they professed themselves to be), sigh they return not from their ways. And chap. 12. 7, I have forsaken mine house: I have left mine heritage: I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies: and as I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence, Jer. 22. 24, 25, etc.  
Use. Let not any than bear themselves up with this, that they are Gods Israel, his People, as if this would secure them, for it will not; Therefore thus will I do to thee, O Israel. And Jer. 7. 12, Go ye now (says the Lord) unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it, for the wickedness of my people Israel. So may the Lord say, Go to Jerusalem, go to those Seven once so famous Churches of Asia, yea, go to Germany, and go now to New-England, and see what God is doing there— Nay this is so far from securing a People, that this the rather more incenses his wrath, and necessitates his punishing of them. Amos 3. 2, You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. And Ezek. 9 6, Begin at my sanctuary, etc.  
Obser. 5. God does not willingly inflict more and heavier strokes upon his people. For while he threatens here to deal severelier with them, he does withal admonish them to meet him; which shows he had rather be so prevented, and that mercy rather pleases him, his usual and ordinary work: And he does indeed threaten, that he may not inflict. Lam. 3. 33, For he doth not afflict willingly, etc. And how shall I give thee up Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee Israel? etc. Hos. 11. 7.  
Use. Let us not then by our incorrigibleness, force him to what he is unwilling, and hath (as it were) a reluctancy.   

CHAP. III. The main and principal Observation.  
Obser. 6. WHen God is in the way of his judgements, it is his People's great duty and concern for to meet him: As here he admonishes them. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. And that the Lord doth here invite his people to meet him, it doth in a word denote, 1. His being angry with them. 2. His coming forth as a formidable enemy against them. 3. His being yet placable, and that there is a possibility yet of appeasing him, if his people do but timely address themselves to him. But 4. That he will else certainly go on to do what he threatneth.  
Now in the further carrying on this Proposition of so great importance, I shall do these Three things.  

1. I shall show you how we are to meet God.  
2. Why we are so to meet him; give you the Reasons and grounds thereof. And then  
3. Apply it.   
1. How we are to meet God in the way of his judgements.  
1. More generally, We are so to meet him, as may best appease him; and therefore so meet him, as others have met those who have been incensed against them; as Jacob met his incensed Brother Esau, bowing himself even seven times to the ground, Gen. 33. 3. As Abigail met David, falling down at his feet, with I pray thee forgive the trespass of thine handmaid, etc. 1 Sam. 25. 23, 24. As they who brought up Ahabs Children met Jehu. We are, say they, thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us, 2 Kings 10. 4, 5. As Benhadad's servants met the King of Israel, with sackcloth on their loins, and ropes upon their heads, etc. 1 Kings 20. 31, 32. As that King which had but ten thousand, went to meet him which came against him with twenty thousand, who while he was yet a great way off, sends an Ambassage, and desires conditions of peace, Luk. 14. 31, 32. As the Prodigal Son met his Father. Father, says he, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son, etc. Luk. 15. 17, 18, 19 Thus we are to meet God, not so as to oppose him, but pacify him; not so as to fight him, but fall down at his feet, and humble ourselves before him; not to wage War with him, but supplicate grace and mercy from him, that we may find grace in his sight, and we will be his servants. Not with Arms, not with Swords and Spears, but Prayers and Tears, the proper Arms and Ammunition of his people; and but with which there's no contending with him, nor overcoming of him.  
2. And more particularly, we are to meet God these Six ways.  
I. With Preparation, As the Lord himself here admonishes,— Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. A provoked incensed God is not to be met at an adventure, hand over head, any way, or after any fashion; no, his People are to prepare to meet him; they are to do so in the way of his Ordinances, and so in the way of his Judgements: For 1. He is a great God, he formeth the mountains, createth the wind, etc. And it is a great work to meet him, and to meet him aright, and as we ought, so as to appease him; and therefore we are to prepare to meet him.  
And 1. we are to get habitually prepared, which is by getting out of that estate wherein we are all now by nature. For that is no estate to meet a provoked, incensed God in: It is not a state indeed fit to meet God in, any where, or in any way, not in the ways of his Ordinances, in his ways of Grace and Mercy; for such as are yet in the flesh, i. e. in their corrupt state, cannot please God, Rom. 8. 8. How much more unfit are they to meet God in the way of his Judgements? As unfit as briers and thorns to meet devouring flames; stubble fully dry, a consuming fire. Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go thorough them, and burn them together, Isa. 27. 4. And therefore for People to be, and abide still in their sins, when God is in the way of his Judgements, how sad is it! and what a dreadful meeting must such expect? We may say to such, as Isa. 10. 3, And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far, & c? And therefore hasten out of such an estate, for it is not a state 
Ista preparatio sub se complectitur veram renovationem cordis, etc. Calv.  to be rested in a moment longer; and therefore escape for your lives, Deliver yourselves as a Roe from the hand of the Hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler: Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumbet to your eyelids, till you are delivered.  
2. We are actually to prepare ourselves to meet God, 1. By getting upon our hearts a sense and awe of the Infinite Power, Might, Majesty and Greatness of that God we are to meet. It being he that forms the Mountains, and creates the wind, etc. And therefore after what sort, and in what manner is such a God to be met? And the Lord does therefore thus on purpose express himself, to produce such an awe and sense of his Greatness, etc. 2. By getting our hearts affected with those judgements he hath, or is about to inflict, and the sins which procured them. And this hath been much the frame of the People of God formerly. As of those in Ezra. 10, Who gathering themselves together unto Jerusalem to meet God: It is said, vers. 9, That all the people sat in the street of the house trembling; because of this matter, i. e. 1. Because of their sin. And then 2. For the great rain, which though (as most Expositors suppose) it fell in November, and the beginning of December; they beginning the Months in March, a time usually of much Rain; yet it being great and extraordinary, they are so affected therewith as to tremble. But who among us, hath been, or is so affected either with our sins, or judgements, as to tremble? Never so great calamities made less impression upon the hearts of Men, as if given over to hardness. How different was the frame of the Saints formerly? O Lord, says the Prophet Habbakkuk, I have heard they speech, and was afraid. And vers. 16, When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, etc. Habbak 3. 2. And David, though he was a King, and a man of a Warlike undaunted Spirit; he feared not the Bear, nor the Lion, nor great Goliath: yet, says he, My flesh trembles for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements, Psal. 119. 120. Though other things did not daunt him at all, yet God's Judgements did; and no wonder, there being wrath in them, and that is dreadful, and we are to tremble at his word, Isa. 66. 26. and how much more than at his rod? And if we are to serve him with fear, and rejoice with trembling, Psal. 2. 11. How much more than being incensed by our sins, are we so to meet him? At his reproof the pillars of heaven are said to tremble and be astonished, Job 26. 11. and shall not we? And this holy fear does not only prepare to meet God, but puts people upon it, as 'tis said of Jehosaphat, 2 Chron. 20. 3, That he feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. Which we are to understand of a holy godly fear, relating to God, and not merely natural, relating to men. And this put him upon meeting God: so it is said of Noah, that moved with fear, he prepared an Ark to the saving of his house, etc. Heb. 11. 7. But how little of this holy fear and awe of God and his Judgements, is to be found among us! No, generally we fear nothing, we are stupid, senseless, and regardless of God and his Judgements, nothing affects us. Were there not those, who sat Drinking and Singing in the very face of those late dreadful Ruins in Southwark! O the daring impudence of sin and sinners in this Age! The devils believe and tremble, but men do not: And this deadness and deep security, when all things speak an approaching storm, as it evidences, says one, a great Judgement, and spiritual plague from God upon our Spirits; so it presages no less than remediless Ruin: for Sinners having no fear nor dread of God nor his Judgements, they never mind to meet him in the way of them. They cast off fear, and hence restrain prayer, Job 15. 4. A sad frame, when Ephraim spoke trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died, Hos. 13. 1. Fearless persons are ever careless, and regardless to meet God in the way of his Judgements.  
3. By considering and advising what to do, and what course is best to be taken. As the young man Counselled Abigail, when evil was determined against her Household: Now therefore, says he, know and consider what thou wilt do, etc. 1 Sam. 25. 17. And the Lord is not wanting herein; he hath shown us in his word, what is good, and what it is he requires of us, and we should hearken to him.  
4. By setting ourselves with all seriousness to do it; we must up and be doing. The Lord complains of those, Hos. 5. 4, They would not so much as frame their do to turn unto their God.  
5. By laying aside our weapons. I mean our sins, by which we oppose, and as it were fight against God; and to speak of meeting God, and not to do this, is as if one who had incensed another, and made him his enemy, should go to appease him with his offensive weapons in his hand; which instead of appeasing him, would certainly the more incense him: and therefore in our addresses to God, so as to appease him, this we are still put upon, Isa. 1. 16, Wash you (says the Lord) make you clean, put away the evil of your doing from before mine eyes; cease to do evil, etc. and come now (saith the Lord) and let us reason together: Now I will enter a parley with you, and now you are fit to be treated with: So Jam. 4 8, Draw nigh to God, etc. But how? Cleanse your hands ye sinners, purify your hearts ye double-minded, etc. and thus Samuel calls upon Israel, to prepare their hearts unto the Lord, by putting away their strange gods, etc. 1 Sam. 7. 3. And Zophar counsels Job, If thou prepare thine heart. etc. If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, etc. Job 11. 13, 14.  
6. By seeking the Lord to prepare us, to fit us for, and help us in that great work: for the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps, Jer. 10. 33. The preparations, or disposings of the heart in man are from the Lord, Prov. 16. 1: and as the King's, so all our hearts are in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water; he turneth them whither soever he will, Prov. 21. 1. And he can turn them to, and tune them for the work in hand: prepare them to meet him, Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear, Psal. 10. 17. And quicken us, and we will call upon thy name, Psal. 80. 18.  
II. By Prayers and Supplications: These both prepare to meet God, and are themselves one special and singular way of meeting him: and hence the same Hebrew word that signifies to pray, or intercede, signifies also to meet; it being by prayer that we do indeed meet God: and the word is especially applied to our meeting God when he appears angry: as Jer. 7. 16,— Neither make intercession to me, or do not meet me: do not interpose between me and them, to mediate for them, for I will not hear thee: What a sad condition was this people in? and our meeting God consists so much in this, that the Seventy render it here, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. to call upon thy God; and this at such a time the Lord in a special manner calls for, Seek ye me and ye shall live: Seek the Lord and ye shall live, Amos 5. 4, 6. And take with you words,— Say unto him, Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously, Hosea 14. 4. And thus have his people met him formerly: How often did Moses thus meet him? He thus stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, and that he might not destroy Israel. So Jehoshaphat set himself to seek the Lord, 2 Chron. 20. 3. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them, Isa. 26. 16. And this the Lord expects, that when he's in the way of his Judgements, and visiting us, that we should thus visit him, meet him, by praying, and interceding: Hosea 5. 15,— In their affliction they will seek me early. And for people at such a time to restrain prayer, is exceeding sad, and argues great impiety: For what is it but to despise God and his Judgements? For the great God to come out against a people in the way of his Judgements; and they will not so much as stir a foot to go out to meet him, so as to divert and turn him back, but he may come on and destroy all, for all them. They fear not at all his anger, nor regard his displeasure: Thus it is said of Jerusalem, as an heavy crime,— She drew not near to her God, Zeph. 3. 2. And this Daniel bewails, All this evil is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, etc. Dan. 9 3. And upon this account, the Hypocrites in heart are said to heap up wrath: They cry not when he bindeth them, Job 36. 13. i e. they do not call upon him, or at least not fervently, when he punishes them.  
Q. How must our prayers be qualified, so as to prevail?  
1. They must be sincere, and in truth: Let us draw near with a true heart, etc. Heb. 10. 22: and the Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him, in truth, Psal. 145. 18. As 1. When we pray, and call upon him indeed, and not only seem to do it; when we not only say, but pray a prayer, pour out our hearts in prayer. 2. When our inward disposition, answers our outward expression. 3. When we prosecute what we pray for, and pray on our feet, as well as on our knees; and let not our practices confute our prayers.  
2. They must be the Prayers of such as know every one the plague of his own heart, and so are humble, as such ever are. And this Solomon puts in as one qualification of those prayers which he begged of God to hear, 1 Kings 8. 38, What prayer and supplications soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart; etc. i. e. the sin, for that is the plague of the heart, and to know it, is to see it, and to have a due sense of it: to be affected with it, and afflicted for it, and to complain and cry out of it: Rom. 7. 24, as Paul, O wretched man that I am, & c! And such are ever humble, and such the Lord hears: Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble, Psal. 10. 17. And if their uncircumcised hearts be humble, Levit. 26. 41.  
3. Of such as abandon sin, and regard not iniquity in their hearts: For if, says the Psalmist, I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me, 66. 18. God will never be a prayer-regarding God, to a sin-regarding sinner. The blind man knew this, that God heareth not sinners: i e. that live and lie in sin, make a trade of sin, etc. But if any man be a worshipper of God, and do his well, him he heareth, Joh. 9 31. Lifting up holy hands, etc. 1 Tim. 2. 8.  
4. They must be in Faith, with comfortable affiance in God's bounty, goodness, and mercy, of being heard, Jam. 1. 6: so as that after we have prayed, we rest thereon for Audience: Thus he that cometh to God, and meets him, must believe that he is, i. e. what his word reveals him to be, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him: Thus we must pray with good and high thoughts of God, though with low and mean thoughts of ourselves.  
5. Fervent, we must not only pray, but cry, yea, cry mightily, Exod. 14. 15. Lift up a prayer, Jonah 3. 8. Strive and wrestle in prayer, Set ourselves to pray, weep and make supplication, Isa. ●7. 4. Hosea 12. 4. Press and urge our prayers with arguments upon arguments, as Moses, How many arguments does he make use of in that short prayer? Exod. 32. 11, 12, 13,— Why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, and which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt, & c? And wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, & c? and remember Abraham, Isaac, etc. And the word which signifies to intercede, or meet, notes properly such a kind of meeting, as is with force and violence; intimating thereby, with what holy violence, fervency, and earnestness, we should meet God, both in prayer for ourselves, and wherein we become intercessors, and stand before him for others, and these are the prayers that prevail: The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much: or the working prayer, that sets the whole man a work; heart a work, affection a work, and all the graces a work; and is not so much the labour of the lip, as the travel of the heart: as it is said of Hannah, She spoke in her heart, etc. 1 Sam. 1. 18. And Daniel set his face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplication, etc. Dan. 9 3. Want of this, the Prophet bewails, Isa. 64. 7, And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: None! surely there were some; they were not come to that height of Profaneness, as to cast off prayer quite. Many no doubt prayed, but not to purpose; it was as if they prayed not, they did not put forth themselves in prayer, pray with all their might: as it follows,— That stirreth up himself: it was in a cold formal way, there was no life, vigour, nor activity in their prayer: though God manifested his displeasure against them; and seemed to be going from them, yet such was their deadness, sluggishness, and stupidity, that they were not awakened thereby.  
6. Chief for spiritual mercies, so as to have our desires mainly carried forth after God, his favour, grace, pardon, peace, reconciliation with him, that we may be turned away from our iniquities; that he would turn us again to himself, and cause his face to shine; and that so we may be saved: as the Church prays thrice, Psal. 80. 3, 7, 19 and Isa. 26. 8, In the way of thy judgements, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, etc. And this the Lord much invites unto: Seek the Lord, and seek his face, etc. Psal. 105. 4. Seek righteousness, seek meekness, etc. Zeph. 2. 3. Say unto him, take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously, Hosea 14. 1, 2. And to this the promise is made of Audience,— If they shall seek my face, etc. 2 Chron. 7. 14. And the Lord complains of those that assembled for corn and wine, Hosea 7. 14: but minded not him, nor his favours: and how should we bless the Lord, that gives us this counsel and advice, and puts us upon seeking that which is not only sovereign and excellent in itself, but of so great importance, and absolute and indispensable necessity as to us: In his favour is life, yea, it is better than life: and without it, we are but dead while we live. Spiritual mercies must be had, or we die, we are undone, we are lost, and perish for ever, though we should spend our days in gathering up Pearls and Jewels.  
7. Preferred in Christ's Name; which is of such infinite worth, and of foe great force, interest and efficacy in Heaven, that Jesus Christ himself has assured us, that whatsoever we shall ask the Father in that name, he will give it us, Joh. 16. 23, 24. And then we ask in his name, when we ask for his sake; and draw our encouragement therefrom: when in prayer we lay the whole stress of our hopes of Audience and acceptance upon him, and him alone, and his merits and mediation; and that interest which he has in, and with the Father in Heaven: and this was long ago fore-tipified in praying towards the Temple, 1 Kings 8. 30, 38, etc. and with hands spread forth to it, which was a Type of Christ our mediator:— and spread forth his hands towards this house, etc. and, in thy fear will I worship towards thy holy Temple, etc. Psal. 5. 7.  
8. With perseverance, so as to hold on, and hold out therein: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, etc. Eph. 6. 18. We must continue in prayer, Col. 4. 2. Pray without ceasing, 1 Thes. 5. 17. As Acts 12. 5, Prayer was made without ceasing of the Church to God: and Christ spoke a parable to this end, That men ought always to pray, and not to faint, etc. Luk. 18. 12, etc. As the Church in Psal. 80, they pray, and pray again, and again, that God would turn them again, and cause his face to shine: Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, etc. Hos. 6. 3. This is a token for good indeed, that we shall have what we crave when we hold on and will not be beaten out, nor take denial, as that woman of Canaan, Mat. 15. 22, 23, etc. Christ could not shake her off, neither by silence, nor by what he said, but 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, etc. 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 impudence, and so some render it, nevertheless for his impudence 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 impudence 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 proceed.  
III. By true Repentance and Conversion, with deep humiliation, and by thorough 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 Judgements, 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, etc. Joel 2. 12. And O Israel, Return unto the Lord thy God, etc. Hosea 14. 1. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Turn ye unto me, etc. Zeph. 1. 3. Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your do, etc. Isa. 1. 16, etc. Amend your ways and your do, Jer. 7. 3. And so in many other places: this is still his call, that when he is in the way of his Judgements 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 achan's that trouble our Israel, and threaten our ruin, we should say as those, Lam. 3. 40, Let us search and try our ways, etc. And so some read those words, Zeph. 2. 1, we render them gather yourselves together, yea, gather together: but others, search yourselves narrowly, yea, search yourselves narrowly, yea, search yourselves narrowly, i. e. get atoned and reconciled to God; and that you may do so, enter into yourselves, 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 acknowledge them, and that with shame and confusion of face: If they shall confess their iniquity, etc. 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 rend 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, etc. Jer. 3. 18. And this sorrow must be chief for the offence done to God, that we have sinned 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 David's eyes, because others kept not God's 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 judge and condemn ourselves 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, etc. If thou wilt forgive their sin, and if not, blot me, etc. 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, etc. 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, etc. 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 proved very effectual, and that when a people's case hath seemed even desperate: 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, etc. 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 repent 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 God's Judiciary proceed. And therefore we are thus in a special manner to set ourselves 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, etc. and then a troop 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 woe 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 ourselves, and how much it is our own, and the Nations concern, and turn unto the Lord. Shall we always forget God, and ourselves too? How long shall our sins be a snare to us? Know we not yet that England is in danger to be destroyed? 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 ourselves, but we are not ourselves, we are not only out of our way, but out of our wits: Sin being so great an evil, yea, the greatest and chiefest, and indeed only true evil; the cause of all other, and itself the worst punishment: the work of the Devil, yea, worse than the Devil and Hell, and which nothing can expiate but Christ's blood, etc. 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 ourselves, 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, etc. 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 ourselves; and do indeed remember ourselves, and our own, and the Nations great concern: and O that the Lord therefore would be pleased so to remember us, that we might at length thus remember ourselves, 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. b●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, etc. 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 shed w of a great rock in a weary land, Isa. 3● 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 severed 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 incensed 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 pleased 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, etc. Heb. 5. 1. And that he might be a merciful and faithful highpriest, 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 rendering us, in our addresses to him, acceptable: And being incensed by our sins, to get him appeased, 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 thorough him. As David, Ps. 14. 9, Look upon the face of thine anointed, 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 pacify him, we must carry Christ as it were in our Arms, in the arms of our Faith, as old Simeon got him once into his bodily Arms; and then, Lord, says he, now lettest thou thy servant departed 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, etc. and no man cometh to the father, but by me, John 14. 6. Not with acceptance, neither so as to appease, please, and pacify 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, etc. 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 God's face, no finding grace in his sight, favour in his eyes; but if he be with us, than 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 than so great a thing as this, to meet God in the way of his Judgements? And if we are to give thanks to God by him, much more by him are we to apply ourselves, to appease and pacify him, being incensed 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 thorough him, are very pleasing and delightful to God: As 1. A broken and contrite heart, an heart kindly touched and affected with sin, and afflicted for it: and which in a deep sense of it, and sorrow for it, hearty 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, etc. 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 thyself, 2 Chron. 34. 27. And this is mentioned again, to show how grateful it was. See Psal. 34. 18. Isa. 57 15. Matt. 5. 3, 4, etc. Such seal to what the Scripture says of sin, that it is no light or slight matter, but an evil and bitter thing, etc. 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 itself 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, etc. 1 Sam. 15. 22. In Micah 6, We have a People there ask the question, vers. 6, Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and how myself before the high God? Wherewith shall I meet him, so as to appease him? Shall I come before him with  offerings? with Calves of a year old? vers. 7, Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil, & c? No, Vers. 8, He hath showed 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, couched 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, etc. 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 secure 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 show mercy: For with the merciful, God will show himself merciful, Psal. 18. 25. And they shall obtain mercy, Matt. 5. 7. But he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath showed no mercy, Jam. 2. 13. When Gods judgements were denounced against Nabuchadnezzar, that yet there might be a lengthening of his tranquillity, Daniel counsels him, to break of his sins by righteousness, and his iniquities by showing 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 hid not thyself from thy own flesh? And then shall thy light break forth as the morning, etc. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say here I am, etc. Isa. 58. 6, 7, etc. Our showing mercy to others, and therein imitating God in his own goodness and kindness, though it be not the cause, yet is it a comfortable pledge and evidence of our finding mercy with God ourselves. The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesephorus, for he oft refreshed me, etc. 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, etc. 112. 5, 6, 7, 8. Prov. 11. 25. 19, 17, etc. 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, etc. for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat, etc. Matt. 25. 34, 35, etc. 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 die, Rom. 5. 7.  
VI By extraordinary fasting, afflicting, and humbling ourselves 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 judgements: And sanctify 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, etc. And so Joel 2. 15, Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, etc. And thus we find his people still have done, when God hath been in the way of his judgements. See 1 Sam. 7. 5, 6. 2 Chron. 20. 3, etc. 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, etc. and caused it to be proclaimed and published thorough Nineveh (by the Decree of the King and his Nobles) Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing; let them not feed nor drink water, etc. 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 proclaimed, that in such a way we might all meet the Lord, by fasting, afflicting, and humbling ourselves 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, etc. 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, etc. And then did the Lord God of Hosts, call to weeping, etc. But behold, joy and gladnefs, slaying oxen, and kill sheep; eating flesh, and drinking wine. Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die. 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 die, saith the Lord God of hosts. And woe to them that are at ease in Zion, etc. that put far away the evil day, that drink wine in bowls, etc. Amos 1. 3, 6, etc.   

CHAP. IU. 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, etc. and Isa. 27. 4, 5, Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle, 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 withal 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 Sovereignty and Authority?  
2. He expects it— In their affliction they will seek me early, Hos. 5. 15. And when thy judgements 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 incensed 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 judgements felt or feared, threatened 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 God's 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 our great work and business is (as I say) with him, more than with Men, with creatures, instruments. And therefore it is our great duty and concern, to have recourse to him, to say, as the people of God of old, Come and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up, Hos. 6. 1. And let us lift up our hearts, with our hands, unto God in the Heavens, Lam. 3. 41. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, etc. Isa. 26. 16. Thus when Absoloms' servants had set Joabs' Barley on fire, he goes not to the servants, but to Absolom; so Abigail hastens to David, Benhadad's servants to the King of Israel, they of Tire and Sidon to Herod, and so should we to God.— Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel; as Eliphaz counselled, Job 5. 8, I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: And indeed we cannot do better. Whither should we go else? Thus Moses, when Israel by their sin had incensed the Lord, Now, says he, I will go up unto the Lord, Exod. 32. 30. And it is best for us all to do so, And hither we call and invite you, as the Prophets of old, They called them to the most high, Hos. 11. 7. So do we: And when we have but once overcome him, appeased him, and gotten him our friend, our work is done: When he is at peace, all's at peace. When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? etc. Job 34. 29. Then (says Eliphaz) shalt thou be in league with the stones of the field: and the beast of the field shall be at peace with thee, Job 5. 23. Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia, If God be for us, who can be against us? Rom. 8. 31.  
5. Because when God is in such a way, he is wroth; and surely when he is so, it is our great duty and concern to labour all we can to appease him, as Moses still did. And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord why does thy wrath wax hot against thy people, etc. Exod. 32. 11, 12, 13. And how earnest is he, and how many arguments doth he make use of for the appeasing of it? Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City, and the people not be afraid, & c? The Lion hath roared, who will not fear? Amos 3. 6, 8. i. e. God hath made known his anger, and his anger is formidable and dreadful, as the Scripture every where sets it forth. For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. And who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath, Psal. 90. 7, 11. How dreadfully does the Prophet Nahum set it forth? Nahum 1. 6, Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him, whether it be done against a nation or a man only? Job 34. 29.— And ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little, Psal. 2. 12. The king's wrath, says Solomon, is as the roaring of a Lion, and as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it, Prov. 19 12, 16, 14. What is the wrath then of the great God? And will it not be our wisdom to pacify it? Scornful men bring a City into a snare, but wise men turn away wrath, Prov. 29. 8. We find Act. 12. 20, that Herod was highly displeased with them of Tire and Sidon, or bore an Hostil mind towards them, and intended War against them; and what did they? It is said, but they came with one accord to him, and having made Blastus the king's chamber lain their friend, desired peace, because their country was nourished by the king's country. They could not abide his displeasure, neither could they subsist without peace had with him. And the great God being highly displeased with us, shall not we much more with one accord, having made Jesus our friend, desire Peace. For is not his displeasure far more dreadful and formidable than Herod's? And is not our Country nourished by his, our Country here below, by that better and heavenly Country above? And can a man receive any thing, unless it be given him from Heaven? Joh. 3. 27. Are we not continually sustained by him? And can we possibly subsist a moment without him? And we by our sins having incensed his wrath, surely there's all the reason we should seek to appease it. Shall we not labour to quench the fire which ourselves have kindled? And to allay the storms which we ourselves have raised, & c?  
6. Because unless we meet him, he will certainly go on to do as he hath threatened. As David told Abigail, That unless she had hasted to come to meet him, he had done as he had said, 1 Sam. 25. 39 And so will God, as he did to Jerusalem, And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, but I found none. And what then? It follows, Therefore have I poured out my indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath, etc. I have executed what I threatened, Ezek. 22. 30, 31. And that is very observable to this purpose, Zach. 1. 5, 6, Your fathers, says the Lord, where are they? and the Prophets, do they live for ever? No, they were dead, and gone, but my words, did they not take hold of them? did they die with them? No, not turning to the Lord, they took hold of them, And they returned, and said, like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us according to our ways and do; so hath he dealt with us; So Lam. 2. 17. And it being thus, the Lord wonders that there should be no intercessor: As if some formidable enemy was coming against a Place, whom there was no opposing by force, but good probability of appeasing by an humble address; would it not be matter of wonder if none should do this! one would think all should do it, when else inevitable ruin must ensue. And did people but believe this, and seriously weigh and consider this, it would be a special means to put them upon this great duty. As the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, etc. Jonah 3. 5. But the not believing nor considering of this, makes sinners careless and heedless, and so to expose themselves and the Nation to inevitable ruin.   

CHAP. V The Application of the point: and 1. By may of Reprehension.  
WHen God is in the way of his judgements, is it his people's great duty and concern to meet him? Then here's matter of just reproof to Two sorts of People:  
1. To such who are so far from meeting God, in the way of his Judgements, that they scarce ever so much as mind or regard him; but let him do what he will, they care not; they mind the World, and their interests and concerns there on the Earth, but never regard what heaven doth. As the Duke of Alva once told the King of France, when he had asked him, whether he had observed the late great Eclipse, in the Heavens? No, said he, I have too much to do on Earth, to mind the Heavens. And how many such are there, who Gallia like, care for none of those things? They are so far from meeting God, so as to stay his hand, that they will not so much as see, or once take notice of his hand. As the Lord complains of those, Isa. 26. 11, Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see, etc. And of Ephraim, Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not; yea, grey hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not, Hos. 7. 9 That is, he hath no sense of it, neither does he mind or regard it, or lay it to heart. And how many such sottish, senseless, stupid souls are there among us, who regard not the works of the Lord, nor consider the operation of his hands, but are settled on their lees, and secure, and put far away the evil day? But woe (says the Lord) to them that are at ease in Zion, that put far away the evil day, Amos 6. 1, 3. And because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up, Psal. 28. 5. See Isa. 5. 11, 12.  
2. To those who instead of meeting God in the way of his judgements, so as to appease him; do rather by going on still in their sins, more and more provoke him: and instead of endeavouring to quench the fire themselves have kindled, do rather add more suel to it. Who say in effect as those Jer. 18. 12, There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. And come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink, and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant, Isa. 56. 12. And let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die, Isa. 22. 13. Thus they spoke in a scoffing way. The Prophet tells us we have not long to live, we shall soon be slain; and therefore let us be jovial while we may. O! the daring-impudence of sinners! Solomon says, The wrath of a king is as messengers of death, but a wise man will pacify it. What Fools and Bedlams are those then, who still more and more provoke the wrath of the great God, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who cuts off the spirit of Princes, and is terrible to the kings of the earth? Psal. 76. 12. And yet how many such are there, who having trodden down the hedge, and opened the gap, are so far from making it up again, that they more and more widen it? And instead of endeavouring to put a stop to God's judgements, do rather more hasten them? And how justly are such to be reproved as enemies, not only to themselves, and to their own souls; but to the Nation, to Church and State, to King and Kingdom? For these take the ready way to undo all. As Samuel told Israel, But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your King, 1 Sam. 12. 15.  
II. By way of Exhortation. When God is in the way of his Judgements, is it his people's great duty and concern to meet him; as hath abundantly been made good? Then God being, and still continuing and going on in that way, let us all in the name and fear of God, set ourselves to that, which is so much our duty and concern, as indeed there is nothing more; I mean to meet him in the way of his Judgements: and let us meet him aright; and as we have had it made out unto us, and set before us, with preparation, by prayers and supplications, and those aright qualified; by true repentance and conversion; in, and with a Mediator, even that One, and only Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, whom God hath made for us, in things pertaining to him, or to be done with him. With Presents; such as in, and through Christ the chief Present of all, are pleasing to God: as of a broken and contrite heart: a willing and ob dient heart: a sincere and upright heart: a merciful and compassionate heart towards others in their miseries and necessities: For we go to God for merey for ourselves, and the Nation; and we should then show mercy to others. And lastly, by extraordinary Fasting, Afflicting, and Humbling ourselves before the Lord: And thus let us answer the Lords call here in the Text— And because I will do this prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. And surely after all the Judgements which the great God hath inflicted on us, he hath as great cause to complain of England's incorrigibleness, as here of Israel's, Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord: and therefore may justly resolve, as here concerning Israel, Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O England. Truly what the Lord will do, I know not, neither am I able to say: what he hath done o'late, we see he hath broken out against us again, by several Fires, and dreadful Flames, not only in the City, but in several places in the Country: He hath called Home several of his Ambassadors o'late, taken away several of his Ministers (two in one day), and others of his choice Servants, and that very suddenly; such as should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before the Lord for the Land, that he may not destroy it: which though little considered and laid to heart, bodes very ill; and is one of those gray-hairs which are here and there upon us: we may fear it is even night when the Lord gets his Children so fast to bed; and that the storm is very near, when he gathers and houses so fast his corn: our Fathers, the Chariots of our Israel and the Horsemen thereof, go off apace, and we shall see them no more here, 2 Kings 2. 9 This now, and a great deal more the Lord hath done o'late; but what he's yet about farther to do, who can tell? But we have great cause to fear he may do worse, and deal severelier with us, than ever yet he hath done: For we turn not (as least very few of us) to him that hath so often smitten us; neither, as we ought, do we seek the Lord of Hosts: And therefore how justly might he bring final ruin upon us: and cut off head and tail, branch and rush, in one day, as he threatens, Isa. 9 12, 13, 14. And therefore, that if possible we may yet prevent this, let us do as we are here admonished, meet God, so as to appease and pacify him, and make up the breach, and take up the controversy between him and us; that so God may be atoned, and reconciliation made. The Lord sends his Judgements as his troops against us, and there's no fight, 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 ourselves.   

CHAP. VI And now in the farther prosecution of this Use, 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 Jointly: Unite our forces together, and besiege, as it were, the Throne of Grace: Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together O Nation not desired, 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, etc. 2 Chron. 20. 4, 13, and Ezra 10. 9, Then all the men of Judah, and Benjamin gathered themselves together, etc. We have all one way or other helped to kindle God's wrath; and we should all therefore join together in labouring to quench it: We have all helped to break down the hedge, and we should all help to make it up; we have all helped 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, etc. So Chap. 2. 15, Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify 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, etc. Shall a trumpet be blown in the City, and the people not be afraid; or, as it is in the Margin, run together? Come and let us return unto the Lord, else all are like to share in the Judgement: See Isa. 24. 1, 2- 9 14, etc.  
Direct. 2. Speedily, without farther delays. For the matter is of too great moment and importance to admit thereof: there's no demurring in such cases. Gather yourselves together, etc. before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, etc. Zeph. 2. 1, 2. Thus when Abigail went to meet David, it is said, She made haste, and except (says he) thou hadst hasted, etc. 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 atonement 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, etc. Joel 2. 12. And return ye now every one from his evil way, etc. 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 near, Isa. 55. 6. And give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, etc. Jer. 13. 16— And if ye will inquire, inquire ye, i. e. speedily, there is danger in delays. Boast not thyself 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 battle is joined, and Drums are beating, and Trumpets sounding: So when Judgements are actually come upon us, and have taken hold of us: Or if we yet should have peace, we may smart sound, 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 lie 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 incensed 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 jacob's, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast showed to thy servant, etc. Gen. 32. 10. As Jobs, Behold I am vile,— and I abhor myself in dust and ashes, Job 40. 4. and 42. 6. As daniel's, 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 herself to the ground, and fell at his feet. As Benhadad's Servants the King of Israel, with sackcloth on their loins, 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 Judgements, this is a postu●e very suitable 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 humble themselves, etc. 2 Chron. 7. 14 And if their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they accept of the punishment of their iniquity, etc. 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 ourselves, 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, etc. 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 says 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 unrefolved, either for sparing, or destroying: and as willing to be determined, as he found their posture and demeanour to be: As if he had said, If thou do indeed humble thyself, and repent, I will show thee mercy; but if thou still persist in thy pride, and impenitency, I will execute my Judgements upon thee: So that by what a people are, as to this, they may guests and conclude how it is like to be with them, and what God will do to them: and if so, how sad may we judge 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 testify to our faces? is it not visible and apparent? And that even now, when God goes on still to testify his displeasure against us, as he hath severely o'late; verily we so carry it, as if we would not be humbled, though God humble us; nor lie 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 men's estates low, but we carry it as high, or higher than ever: God says to us, as to Pharaoh, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself 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 ourselves and lie 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, etc. 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? etc. Jonah 3. 9 And the Lord does here in the very words themselves so express himself, as yet to encourage 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 Absalon was dear to him, he names his name thrice: O my son Absalon, my son, my son Absalon, etc. 2 Sam. 18 33. 2dly, He says, Thy God to show 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 God's 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, etc. 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 Zions sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's 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 displeased 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 obtained it. And God forbidden that we should sin against the Lord, in ceasing still to pray for England, for London, etc. 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 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 myself, 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 proceed, or to keep thee, that thou dost not departed 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 departed: for woe to us if he depart from us; it is the very sum and completion of man's misery, for God to departed 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, than we may be said to take hold of it, when we humbly and earnestly beg, and entreat it; and as our sufficiency, hold to it, and rely on it; to fit and qualify 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 Lord's 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 Lord's 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 Lord's 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 strengthened 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 ourselves 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 gro●nd our hopes thereon: And O! what goodness, and condescension 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! etc. Let heaven and earth, Angels and men, admire and adore this goodness, and wonderful condescension 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 concerned!   

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, ●or cast thee off; neither is my Covenant with thee quite disannuled and made void, though thou hast sadly Apostatised 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, etc. Hosea 14. 1, And, return ye back: sliding children, Jer. 3. 22, 23. And shall not our hearts echo 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 God's 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 displayed; 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, etc.  
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 lie: 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 boisterous 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 testify 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, etc. Psal. 14. 1. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever, etc. The world lies nearest their hearts,— Thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thyself, etc. Psal. 50. 21. And with their mouth they show 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 & distinct vices temporum inter se distribuit, He governs the order of nature▪ and distinctions of times, etc. 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, etc. 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, etc. Thus he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, he made the morning darkness: They had a lightsome morning, The sun, it is said, risen 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 than make morning's 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 broke 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 o'late in Southwark, and Warwick-lane, etc. 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, etc. Job 16▪ 12. And David, In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved; but thou didst hid 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 risen, 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, etc. 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 dwelled on high, the lofty City he laid it low, he laid it low even to the ground; even the highest and most towering places thereof: So Garnsey Castle, etc. 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, etc. Jer. 18. 7. 3. He treadeth down the highest persons of the earth, He comes upon princes as upon mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay: he bringeth princes to nothing, he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity, Isa. 40. 23. He cuts off the spirit of Princes, he is terrible to the Kings of the earth, Psal. 76. 12. Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes, Psal. 119. 118, 119, though never so mighty. And therefore be m●n never so great, 
Conterens superbos. Grotius.  or high, this cannot secure them, nor set them out of his reach, who treads upon, and treads down the highest places, powers, and persons of the earth. And those that walk in pride, he is able to abase, as Nabuchadnezzar acknowledged, Dan. 4. 37, Yea, And in the thing wherein they deal proudly, to be above them, Exod. 18. 11. The loftiness of men he boweth down, and the haughtiness of men he makes low: He tells Edom, Obad. 3. 4, The pride of his heart had deceived him, that dwelled in the clefts of the rock, and whose habitation was high, that said in his heart, who shall bring me down to the ground? But says God, Though thou exalt thyself as the Eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, yet thence will I bring thee down. And it is said of the wicked, Though his exeellency mount up to the Heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; yet he shall perish for ever, like his own dung, etc. Job 20. 67. And thus he treadeth down the heights of the earth, and is most high for evermore, Psal. 92. 8. There are high, and higher than they; but God is highest of all, higher than the highest, Eccles. 5. 8. than the Heavens, yea, the highest Angels in Heaven. And hence he is said, Psal. 113. 4, 5, 6, to humble himself, to behold even the things that are in Heaven.  
6. He that does all this, the Lord, the God of hosts is his name. 1. The Lord Jehovah, which denotes, 1. His Self-existency, that he hath his Being of, and from himself, and gives being to all his creatures. And 2. His eternity, that he is everlasting.  
2. The God of Hosts: All the creatures in Heaven and Earth, being (as it were) his Hosts, under his power, and at his beck and command, as Soldiers under their General, to order, dispose, and employ, as he pleases: And he has his Hosts above, and beneath, Celestial, and Terrestrial: And being such a God as before he is described, He that formeth the mountains▪ etc. A God of such infinite power, he can muster them up when, and as he pleases, and make them do what execution he will. And this is a Title often in Scripture given to God: we have it thrice in one Verse, Zach. 1. 3, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, turn ye unto me saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts: which shows there is much in this, to move us to turn to him: For he being The Lord, the God of hosts; if we do so indeed, he is every way able to save us, and do us good: but if we do not, to punish and destroy us. The Lord, the God of hosts is his name.  
And shall not all this now prevail with us, to prepare to meet this God, who doth all this, who formeth the mountains, createth the wind, etc. and whose name is, The Lord, the God of hosts? For if we do indeed meet him, what cannot so great a God do for us? Surely he can disperse and drive away all imminent evils from us, and communicate all good unto us; but if we refuse to meet him, what cannot he do against us? and what evils cannot he bring upon us? He that formeth the mountains, etc. And therefore if his mercy cannot move us, let yet, as I said, his Majesty; if not his Goodness, his Greatness; and seeing all that is here said, fully declares, that there's no opposing nor resisting him by force, our only way then is so to meet him, as to appease him▪ For with God is terrible majesty, Job 37. 22. Behold the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance; yea, all nations before him are as nothing, and counted to him less than nothing and vanity, Isa. 40. 15, 17. The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burnt at his presence; yea, the world and all that dwell therein, Nahum. 1. 5. And who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle, I would go thorough them, and burn them together, Isa. 27. 4. The most steely and flinty spirits in the World, can no more stand before God, than Briars and Thorns before a consuming Fire. How easily does he break in pieces all opposite power? By strength shall no man prevail, 1 Sam. 2. 9 Where's the Man that ever was able to carry it against him? or, hath got any thing by contending with him, but blows, and utter overthrow? Pharaoh contended with God, but what got he? So Julian the Apostate, but was he not forced at last, throwing up his blood towards Heaven, to cry out, Vicisti Galilee, Thou hast overcome, O thou Galilean. Others, even the mightiest, have one time or other met with their match; but never did God. Before him the mightiest Giants are but as Pigmies and Potsherds, and let the Potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth, but not with the great God. Shall weakness contend with strength? Impotency with Omnipotency? It is said of a creature, Lay thine hand upon him▪ remember the battle; do no more. And, None is so fierce that dare stir him up: Who then is able to stand before me? Job 41. 8, 10. You know what they said, 2 Kings 10. 4, Two Kings stood not before him, how then shall we stand? Why, a whole World could not stand before God. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength, who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered, Job 9 4. And therefore there being no withstanding him by power, nor carrying it against him by force, let this prevail with us so to meet him, as to labour by all possible ways and means to pacify him: And then that power which cannot be withstood by us, will be employed for us; both for averting all imminent evils, and for procuring all desirable good.  
Mot. 3. The great God when he is in such away, seeks for such that should so meet him, as to appease him, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before him for the land, that he should not destroy it: Which as it shows the great scarcity of such, that they are but few: For else, what need they be sought? So his great solicitousness for such, and their great acceptableness to him, and how unwilling he is to go on to execute what he threatens, and that he had rather by such be prevented. Now that the Lord seeks for such, see Ezek. 22. 30, And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me, for the land, etc. People's sins do as it were break down the hedge, make breaches, open gaps for judgements to come in at: They unfortifie Cities, unarm States, unhedg Churches, and render them as it were naked: as Exod. 32. 25, It is there said, that when that people had sinned, Moses saw that they were naked, i. e. they lay open to God's judgements; and the greater a people's sins are, the more they break down the hedge, and the greater and wider gaps and breaches do they make. And now, says the Lord, I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me, for the land, that I should not destroy it. God had bid others search and see, Jer. 5. 1, Run ye to and fro thorough the streets of Jerusalem, and see now and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man. Why were men so scarce in Jerusalem at that time? And was there such a dearth of them, that a man could not be found? Surely no, Jerusalem had men enough, such as they were. It had throngs of men in every Street, but the meaning is, a Man so and so qualified; if there be any that executeth judgement, that seeketh the truth, and so should stand in the gap; but they could find none: But this did not satisfy God, they might be careless in this work, or overlook such a one; and therefore he here seeks himself. And I sought for a man, etc. And how desirous is God then of such? And shall he not find such, shall he seek in vain? God forbidden, how sad would that be?  
Mot. 4. If we do not thus meet God, but still go on by our sins more and more to provoke him; God will meet us; but how dreadfully, and in a terrible manner, in anger, wrath and displeasure? Meet us, but not as a man, as he threathens, Isa. 47. 3, I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man, i. e. after the manner of men: what is wrapped up in this expression, I shall open in these Two or Three particulars, not as a man, i. e. 1st, In the weakness of a man, man being weak in power, but as a Powerful Almighty God, non viribus humanis sed Divinis, etc. thou shalt find thou hast to deal, not with a man, but a God; and so with one who is every way able utterly to consume and destroy thee: Thou mayest bear up against men, but canst thou bear up against me? Or, can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee? etc. Ezek. 22. 14. Or 2dly, Not as a man, i. e. not with that clemency and compassion that men many times use and show, but as a revengeful God; so that mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice▪ yet will I not hear them, Ezek. 8. 18, 9 10. Thus not only shalt thou not find the mercy and kindness of a God, but not so much as that of a man; neither will I meet thee in the weakness of a man, nor in, or with the compassion of a man. Or 3dly, Not as a man, i. e. but rather as some Savage devouring Beast, as a Bear, Lion, Leopard, or such like Beast of Prey. As the Lord threatens elsewhere: Therefore will I be unto them a as Lion, as a Leopard by the way will I observe them. I will meet them as a Bear that is bereft of her whelps: I will rend the Caul of their hearts, and there will I devour them like a Lion: the wild beasts shall tear them, Hosea 13. 7, 8. Thus will the Lord meet, and thus will he deal with all proud, refractory, stouthearted sinners, that turn not to him, but go on still by their sins more and more to provoke him. He will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such a one as goes on still in his trespasses. The Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them, Psal. 68 21-21. 9  
And when the Lord doth this, 1. There will be no escaping of his hand, no securing of themselves from his wrath, neither by power, nor policy; by force, nor flight; by strength, nor stratagems; He that fleeth of them shall not flee away: and he that escapeth of them, shall not be delivered; though they dig into hell, thence shall my hand take them, etc. Amos 9 1, etc. The meaning is, that by no means they shall be able to secure themselves from the wrath of God. So Chap. 2. 14, 15, Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself, etc. And in vain are Mountains and Rocks called upon to secure here. Can any hid himself in secret places, that I shall not see▪ him, saith the Lord? do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord? Jer. 23. 24. 2. As there will be no escaping his hand; so there will be no being delivered out of his hand; and, There is none▪ saith the Lord, that can deliver out of my hand, Isa. 43. 13. If we fall indeed into men's hands, God can yet rescue and deliver us, as often as he did David, Paul, and others: But who shall deliver out of God's hand, who is greater than all? None ever did or can. And hence is it said, That it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 10. 31. i e. as an enemy, as an avenger, into his wrathful hands. It is a blessed thing indeed, and that which is best for us, to fall into the hands of God, with respect to his mercy, as a correcting, chastising Father, and as looking for mercy from him, in and through a Mediator: And thus David chose to fall into the hands of God, rather than of men; but to fall into the hands of God, with respect to his wrath, and vengeance, as contenders with his power, and as contemners of his offers of mercy, and tenders of peace; so it is a fearful thing. For he is the living God, and for ever lives to execute what he threatens, and there is no being the ivered out of his hand. Fain they would indeed flee out of his hand, Job 27. 22, extricate▪ themselves from those miseries which have taken hold of them; but in vain do they attempt it: They would give no diligence at all to meet God, so as to appease his wrath; and now they shall give all diligence in vain, either to escape, or flee out of his hand. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lesthe tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver, Psal. 50. 22.  
Mot. 5. If we do indeed thus meet God, he will meet us comfortably, graciously; his meeting of us will be very sweet and reviving; for he will meet us so as to be appeased 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 easy to be entreated: 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, shows us what is good, even that which he requires of us, to prepare to meet him; so that whil●s many are saying, Who will show 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, Show me a token for good: and if we were once brought to this, this would prove a token for good indeed; for good to ourselves and to the Nation; for God who is now in the way of his Judgements, 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 lovingkindness 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, etc. and then as his going forth is prepared, so shall it by us be experienced, as the morning, or Sunrising to the world, and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the former and latter rain unto the earth: And what a complete 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 embraced 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 harkened to thy voice, etc. 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 myself 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, etc. 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 Judgements: for in very deed, unless you had hasted to come to meet me; unless you had made up the hedge, and stood in the gap before me for the Land, I had destroyed 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 m●rcy, not only for ourselves, 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 renowned, 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, etc. 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. Wild's Letter of thanks and Poems.  
A new Copy-book of all sorts of useful hands.  
The Saints privilege by dying, by Mr. Scot  
The new World; or new-reformed Church, by Doctor Homes.  
The Virtuous Daughter, a Funeral-Sermon, by Mr. Brian.  
The Miracle of Miracles, or Christ in our Nature, by Dr. Rich. Sibb●s.  
The unity and essence of the Catholich Church visible by Mr. Hudson.  
The intercourse of Divine Love between Chri●● and the Church, or the particular Believing soul in several Lectures on the whole second Chapter 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 Child's Delight; together with an English Grammar.  
A●sop's Fables, with morals thereunto in English▪ Verse.  
The Youngman's Instructor, and the Old-man's 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.