THIS Chapter begins with a Prophecy of Times of Distress and Sorrow coming on Jerusalem; named here Ariel, which signify's the Lion of God. It might be so called, either because it was a great and strong City, thought to be impregnable; or because it was the Royal City, where King David had his Throne, who was a signal Type and Ancestor of the holy Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah; or because it was the City GOD had chosen for his own Habitation, and fortify'd by his Presence; or because there was the Altar of God for Burnt-offering (sometimes called Ariel) which was a nota­ble [Page 2] Symbol of the Divine Presence, the chief Strength and Glory of the City, and which as a Lion devoured the Sacri­fices offered thereon continually.—Yet, Iniquity being found in this Favourite-City of God, here's a WO denounced against it. The Inhabitants are assured by the Prophet, that notwithstanding all their Temple-Privileges, on Account of which they seemed to have a Lion-like Fortitude and Confidence, they should for their Sins be distressed, and brought down wonderfully: and that all their Oblations and Devotions, whereby they thought to appease an incensed God, should be vain, and not serve to secure them against the Judg­ments, which their abounding Iniquity deserved. They might go on killing their Sacrifices, making many Prayers, and multiplying their publick Solemnities; yet none of these Things should profit them at all, but a righteous and provoked God would still pursue his Controversy with them.

Alas, we may flatter our selves, and deceive our Neighbours, with a Form of Godliness, and a fair Shew in the Flesh; but the omniscient Eye of Him with whom we have to do, can see thro' the thickest Mask of Hypocrisy: and as He is not capable of being deluded, so neither will He bear to be mocked, with heartless Services, and meer external For­malities in Religion. The most splendid and abundant Oblations, exclusive of a broken Heart and a contrite Spirit, which are the Sacrifices of God, will never please Him; much less avail to appease his offended Justice, and atone for our Sins. But notwithstanding all such Attempts to stay the Current of Divine Judg­ments, God's Hand will be stretched out still; nor will He turn away his Anger from us, while our Hearts remain unhumbled, and our Sins unrepented.

[Page 3] The Prophet here lets the People of Ariel know, that however they might add Year to Year, proceed to keep their annual Fasts, & from time to time abound in their expiatory Sacrifices, stated and occasional; yet, seeing they were a People impenitent and unreformed, a holy God would maintain his Controversy with them, and testify his just Displeasure in a Succession of wast­ing and distressing Judgments; against which all their Helpers should afford them no Protection: but in Case of final Obstinacy, their Destruction should be sure and inevitable; and their Desolation should come in an Instant suddenly, when they were not aware, by Means unthought of, subject only to the Direction of Divine Providence, and uncontroulable by all the Power of Mortals.—Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of Hosts with Thunder, and with Earthquake, and great Noise, with Storm and Tempest, and the Flame of devouring Fire.

Some understand the Prophet as speaking metaphori­cally; using this Variety & Pomp of Words only to ex­press the very miserable State the People of Ariel would be reduced to, by the numerous and great Calamities hastning upon them.—But whether we are to take these Expressions in a figurative, or in a literal Sense, I shall not now stand to dispute. Doubtless both Con­structions may be safely admitted. Yet I chuse at present to follow the Letter of the Text, as the Gene­rality of Expositors view it in that Light, and as the Design of this Discourse principally is to lead you into some devout Reflections, suitable to the late tremen­dous Dispensations of Providence, which are the spe­cial Occasion of the Appointment of this Day of gene­ral Humiliation and Prayer; I mean, those great and terrible Earthquakes in divers Places, whereby some noted Parts of Europe have been destroyed, and where­with we in America have been alarmed.

[Page 4] I might profitably employ some Meditations on the other Articles enumerated in the Divine Threatning before us; which are of Importance enough to claim our Attention. But for the sake of Brevity, as well as Pertinence, I have singled out That, some Instances of which gave Rise to this Day's Solemnity, for the particular Subject of the present Discourse.

Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of Hosts,—with Earthquake and great Noise.

In speaking to these Words, I propose to pursue the following Method. First, I shall take Notice of the Character, by which the Divine Majesty is here de­scribed; The LORD of Hosts.—Then speak of his visiting his People.—And of his doing this particularly by Earthquake and great Noise.—Finally, apply the Subject, in some seasonable Reflections and Exhortations, as the Time will allow.

I. I am to say something upon the exalted Character, under which GOD is here spoken of; The LORD of Hosts.

The Prophet now speaking in the Name of God, and delivering a Divine Message and Menace to his People, he fitly inserts this Divine Character, to give the greater Weight and Importance to his Words, by pointing out the irresistible Author of the Judgments denounced in that awful Threatning, which the Prophet was only the Messenger to bring unto them. He might have contented himself with barely saying, Thou shalt be visited with this and the other Judgment: but it gives an additional Force and Emphasis to his Words, there's a sacred Energy, a peculiar Dignity, Majesty and Solemnity in the Language, when he says, Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of Hosts. His naming the Divine Being, under this august Character, tended to strike an Awe upon the threatned People, to draw Attention to the Prophecy, and indeed to persuade to [Page 5] the Belief of it. For the inserting of GOD's Name in this terrible Commination, was an implicitly pawn­ing of GOD's Veracity for the Truth of it: and the Mention of Him under so grand a Character, carry'd in it a further Motive of Credibility, respecting the Certainty of the Event; since there can be no resist­ing the Power, nor flying from the Presence, of Him who is the LORD of Hosts.—It is observable, the Judgments, specify'd in this Denunciation, are such as carry with them very legible Signatures of the Fin­ger of GOD. Natural Reason apprehends an invisi­ble almighty Agent very eminently & more immediately operating in them. Thunder, & Earthquake, & Tem­pest, & the Flame of devouring Fire (especially if this be understood of the Lightning from Heaven, or the scorching Beams of the Sun, or the Eruption of subter­raneous Fire) these are such Events as evidently claim the great GOD for their prime Efficient, and exclude all human Agency. When therefore the Prophet was denouncing a WO to Ariel, which it was GOD's sole Prerogative to execute, there must be allowed a De­cency and Fitness in the Thing, that he should ex­plicitly mention GOD's Name in the Denunciation, and that he should mention Him under this sublime and striking Character, "the LORD of Hosts."

It is a Divine Appellation frequently occurring in Scripture, "The GOD of Hosts." (In the Hebrew, sometimes ELOHI, sometimes ADONAI, Tsebaòth.) But here, and in some other Places; it is (JEHOVAH Tsebaòth) "the LORD of Hosts."

Jehovah is the appropriate Style of the supreme Being; "the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,—"which Three are One, the only "living and true God. And it imports his necessary Existence, and Self-existence, his Self-suffi­ciency, and All-sufficiency, his Constancy and Immu­tability. [Page 6] It intends much the same with that Title or Name, under which he revealed himself to Moses, I AM^* (and, I AM THAT I AM) or that to John in the Revelation, "I am Alpha and Omega, the Be­ginning and the Ending, (the First and the Last,) which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." One who is Being it self, and has all Fulness of Being in Himself; a Being inderivative, independent, infinite, eternal, unchangeable, in his Nature and Perfections.—"His Name alone is JEHO­VAH." This Name, tho' common to the several Persons in the sacred Trinity, who all have the same common Essence, yet is not attributed to any other Being in the Universe. It is generally translated by the Septuagint, ΚΥΡΙΟΣ, which, Criticks observe, comes from ,ΚΥΡΩ, that signify's, "I am."—The Word, JEHOVAH, is judged to be properly of absolute Signification; not in its primary Sense a Word of Re­lation, not a meer Title of Office, or Authority; but (as much as Man is) a Title of Nature, or Essence: and commonly so used.

But here it seems to have a relative Application: JEHOVAH Tsebaòth, translated "The LORD of Hosts. The Name, used in this Conjunction, speaks God's supreme Excellency and universal Dominion. He is "JEHOVAH of Hosts," or (in the Language of the New-Testament) "LORD of all,—"GOD, over all, blessed for evermore." It teaches us his excellent Greatness. "His Name alone is excellent; his Glory is above the Earth and Heaven."—And it teaches us his extensive Power and Rule. He superintends and governs all Hosts, whether of Heaven, Earth, or Hell. [Page 7] They are all under his Feet, at his Command and Dispose; as well as inferior to Him in point of Na­ture and Properties.

This Word, Tsebaòth, is retained in the Greek Testament, though according to the Idiom of that Tongue, it is read Sabaòth. Nor have the Authors of our English Version seen fit to translate it; but give us the original Word in several Places. (Rom. 9. 29. and Jam. 5. 4.) In that Passage quoted by the Apostle Paul, from the Prophet Isaiah, what in the Hebrew is JEHOVAH Tsebaòth, is in the Greek Kurios Sabaòth; which, turned into English, is "The LORD of Hosts." It may serve to correct a vulgar Mistake, if I observe that some of the Unlearned very corruptly read it Sabbath; and miss-understand the Places where they meet with it, as if "the Lord of Sabaòth," and "the Lord of the Sabbath," were one and the same Title: whereas they are two Titles, of very different Mean­ing.—Several of the Fathers mistook Sabaòth for one of the Names of GOD: they seem to have construed it as put in Apposition with Jehovah, or Lord. But were it a Name of God, we should doubtless have found it sometimes used alone by it self, as his other Names frequently are: Whereas, this Word is never so apply'd to Him, but always in express Conjunction with some one or other of his known Titles. And indeed Expositors, well understanding the Hebrew, in which Language the Word properly signifies "Hosts," or Bands of Soldiers, have usually translated it, whether into Greek, or Latin, or other Tongue, by some Word of that Import. Tho' sometimes, when mentioned in Relation to GOD, they have given it a lax Construction, and render'd it by the Word "Omnipotent," or Al­mighty. The Septuagint-Version retains the Letter of the Original in our Text: but in several other Places it uses a Liberty, and turns the same Phrase [Page 8] in this free Manner (ΚΥΡΙΟΣ ΠΑΝΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡ) the "LORD Omnipotent."—Not that the Seventy took the Hebrew Word, TSEBAÒTH, properly to im­port a Name or Attribute of God: but they chose a free Translation of it sometimes; and that not unjusti­fiably, since He who is called "the LORD of Hosts," indefinitely, and so "the LORD of All," must needs "be the Lord omnipotent," or "God almighty."—At other Times they render it, ΚΥΡΙΟΣ ΤΩΝ ΔΥΝΑΜΕΩΝ, Dominus Virtutum, "the LORD of the Powers:" meaning either his being possessed of every Power (or Perfection) in himself, and so it speaks the superlative Excellency of his Nature; or his governing all created Powers, and so speaks the Supremacy of his Domini­on:—which, in the Result, come much to the same Thing. So that it is well expressed in our English Translation, "The LORD of Hosts." This is the Name by which He is known, in Opposition to false Gods, and to Gods metaphorically so called. Amos 5.27. "The LORD, whose Name is the GOD of Hosts." "Even the LORD GOD of Hosts, the LORD is his Memorial." Hos. 12.—5. By this "we know, that the Lord is great, and that our LORD is above all Gods."

This descriptive Appellation speaks the blessed GOD supreme Monarch of the Universe, infinitely superiour to all second Causes, transcendent in Dignity and Majesty to all other Beings; having all Agents whatever, in universal Nature, under his resistless Government, and at his absolute Disposal. It seems to carry in it an Allusion to some powerful Captain-General, having vast Armies under his Command, in­tirely subject to his Will, and disposed, ordered, and managed as he pleaseth. GOD is truly the sovereign and universal Commander, having all Things in Subjection to Him, and all Events under his Conduct & Controul, All Creatures, in all Worlds, "in the Heights above, [Page 9] and in the Depths below," belong to GOD's Hosts; and are, in their various Degrees and Ways, subservient to his Glory, as well as governed by his Providence.

For instance,

There is "the Host of Heaven," which we often read of in Scripture: and if by Heaven we under­stand the World of Spirits, the upper and the invisible eternal World, called "the holy Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens," then by the Host of Heaven are meant especially the Angels of God, "the Princi­palities and Powers in heavenly Places." We are told of "the Armies of Heaven," among whom the great GOD doeth whatsoever He pleaseth: and of a "Multitude of the heavenly Host, praising GOD," at the Birth of the holy Child JESUS: which means "an innumerable Company of Angels."—We read (1 Kin. 22. 19.) Micaiah said to the King of Israel, "I saw the LORD sitting on his Throne, and all the Host of Heaven standing by Him." These mean "the Angels of Heaven," who are "ministring Spi­rits," ever waiting on the most High, attending his Or­ders, and fulfilling his Will. Hence that of the royal Prophet (Psal. 103. 20, 21.) "Bless the LORD, ye his Angels, that excel in Strength, that do his Com­mandments, hearkning to the Voice of his Word. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his Hosts; ye Ministers of his, that do his Pleasure."—These are they whom the LORD spake of, when he answered Job out of the Whirl­wind, saying, "The Morning-Stars sang together; and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy," at his laying the Foundations of the Earth.—And of "the Angels of Light" especially we are to understand that in the Levites Prayer (Neh. 9. 6.) "Thou, even thou art LORD alone; thou hast made Heaven, the Heaven of Heavens, with all their Host:—and the Host of Hea­ven worshippeth Thee."—Though, it is not to be un­derstood [Page 10] exclusively of "the Spirits of just Men," re­ceived up into Glory. For these also belong to "the heavenly Host, and are continually "worshipping Him that liveth for ever and ever." These are a Multitude, that no Man can number." And all are still in Subjection to "the Father of Spirits," he Rector of human Souls, and Lord of Angels. Both Species may be comprehended in Enoch's Prophecy: "Behold, the LORD cometh with ten Thousands of his Saints, to execute Judgment, &c.

But if by Heaven we understand the lower Heaven, the visible Region of the Skie, "the Firmament of his Power," then by the Host of Heaven are meant more immediately the Sun, Moon, and Stars. These seem especially intended where we read of Men's "worship­ping the Host of Heaven," an Idolatry of ancient Date, and of universal Practice in the heathen World. Hence that Caution to the Israelites, who having the Example so near them, were in Danger of getting a Snare to their Soul, by learning the Way of the World: Deut. 4. 15, &c. ‘Take ye good Heed unto your selves, lest ye corrupt your selves, and make you a graven Image,—and lest thou lift up thine Eyes unto Heaven, and when thou seest the Sun, and the Moon, and the Stars, even all the Host of Heaven, shouldst be driven to worship them.’—The celestial Bodies are in the Number of JEHOVAH's Hosts; not to be worshipped, but to serve him, and to lead Men up to the Worship of Him, their Creator and Lord. Psal. 148. ‘Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the Heavens: Praise Him in the Heights.—Praise ye him, all his Hosts. Praise ye him, Sun and Moon: Praise him, all ye Stars of Light.—Let them praise the Name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.’—It was he, that "made great Lights, the Sun to rule [Page 11] by Day, and the Moon and Stars to rule by Night." He "by his Wisdom stretched out the Heavens:" He "prepared the Light and the Sun; and the Moon and Stars hath He ordained."—He "appointeth the Moon for Seasons:" and by his Constitution and Pro­vidence, "the Sun knoweth his going down. He cau­seth "the Day-spring to know his Place. "He telleth the Number of the Stars, and calleth them all by their Names.—"They continue this Day according to his Ordinances: for all are his Servants." He maintains them in their Being, Situation, Motion, Operation & In­fluence: and all, in their Place, do his Will. They mini­ster to the Designs of Goodness, and of Justice, in his Government of the moral World, and contribute much to the Advancement of his Glory. They even "stand still," at his bidding, and when it will serve his Ends. So, the "Sun stay'd in the midst of Heaven, over Gi­beon, and the Moon over the Valley of Ajalon, in the Days of Joshua, when the LORD fought for Israel, until the People had avenged themselves on their Enemies." And we read in the Song of Deborah, "They fought from Heaven, the Stars in their Courses fought against Sisera.

But, to descend now to the lowest Territories of Heaven, the Meteors of the Air belong also to the Host of GOD. "He createth the Wind, and bring­eth it out of his Treasuries. "The Lord hath his Way in the Whirlwind, and in the Storm, and the Clouds are the Dust of his Feet. "He causeth the Vapours to ascend; He covereth the Heaven with Clouds, and they are turned about by his Counsel.—He prepareth the Dew & Rain for the Earth, and "water­eth the Hills from his Chambers. He is the Father of the Rain, and sendeth it where, and when, and in what Measure he pleaseth. "He causeth it to come, whether for Correction, or in Mercy.—He also "thun­dereth [Page 12] with the Voice of his Excellency, and scatter­eth his Lightnings, like Arrows.—He produces and commands "the Treasures of the Snow, and the Treasures of the Hail; which he reserveth against the Time of Trouble, against the Day of Battle and War.—"He scattereth the Hoar-frost: He casteth forth his Ice. Who can stand before his Cold?—The Cold is his; and so the Heat: they rise to what Degree, and in what Place, he pleaseth: According to his Covenant with Noah, they cease not to this Day, and by them He smites whom He will, with their pinching or scorching Powers.—He "maketh Win­ter and Summer," and orders all the varying Occur­rences and Events of both. "He sendeth forth his Commandment," and they obey. He faith to one, Go; and it goeth: and to another, Come; and it cometh. "Fire, and Hail, Snow, and Vapour, and stormy Wind, all fulfil his Word.—And I may properly enough add here; The living Creatures in the Air, "the Fowls of the Heaven," these also are under his Rule, and execute his Will. They are to be reckoned among "the Armies of Heaven": and when "the Lord uttereth his Voice before this his Army, his Camp is very great," and he appears "strong to exe­cute his Word," whether by "Birds of Prey," or by "Swarms of Flies," such as we read of among the Plagues of Egypt, which God sent "to the End they might know, that He is the LORD in the midst of the Earth.

Besides all these, GOD hath his Terrestrial Host. The Earth hath its Host, as well as the Heavens. Hence we read in Moses's History of the Creation, "Thus the Heavens and the Earth were finished, and all the Host of them." By the Earth here is to be understood the whole Terraqueous Globe, including both Sea and Land. Now, "the Sea is his; for he [Page 13] made it: and his Hands formed the dry Land.—"The Earth is the LORD's, and the Fulness thereof; the World, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the Seas, and established it upon the Floods.—"He created the Earth, and all Things that are therein; the Sea, and all that therein is: and he preserveth them all." They are his Work, his Care, and apply'd to his Use, as he sees fit, from Age to Age. "He doth whatsoever he pleaseth in Heaven, and Earth, in the Sea, and in all deep Places.—"In his Hand are the deep Places of the Earth; the Strength of the Hills is his also.—"He ruleth the raging of the Seas;" and raiseth or stilleth the Waves thereof. "The Earth is full of his Riches, so is this great and wide Sea, wherein are Things creeping innumerable, both great and small. There go the Ships: and there is that Leviathan, whom he hath made to play therein. These all wait on him." The Ships that (richly laden) pass thro' the Paths of the Ocean, and all the living Creatures, that inhabit the watry Element, are under his absolute Government, Direction, and Controul. So are all the numberless Species of Animals, that co­ver the Face of the Earth. The Beasts of the Field, as well as Fishes of the Sea, and even the Worms of the Dust, as well as Birds of the Air, sensitive Crea­tures of every Kind, which swarm in all Parts of the Universe, they universally belong to GOD's Armies, and he employs them to what Purposes he pleaseth, in the Kingdom of Providence. Any of these appear to Men a formidable Host, when God commissions and arms them to destroy. "The Adder in the Path, "the Boar out of the Wood, "the Bear by the Way, "the Lion in the Wilderness, &c. are a Terror to Mankind; much more, Troops of them collected together. It is therefore remarked, as an aggravating Circumstance of our Saviour's Temptation in the Wilderness, "He [Page 14] was with the wild Beasts."—But they are all in Sub­jection to the great LORD of the Universe. "The wild Beasts of the Field (says he) are mine: every Beast of the Forest is mine, and the Cattle on a thousand Hills.—"The Eyes of all wait upon him. "He giveth to the Beast his Food."—And therefore claims his Service. "Praise the LORD from the Earth, ye Dragons,—Beasts, and all Cattle, creep­ing Things, and flying Fowl.—"Let every Thing that hath Breath praise the LORD.—They are all among the Hosts, of which GOD is the LORD. Having mentioned "Heaven and Earth," as the Sum of the Universe, he says (Isai. 45. 12.) "ALL their Host have I commanded.—Nor are we to overlook Things inanimate, the Trees of the Wood, the Herbs of the Field, the Minerals of the Ground, Treasures hid in the Sand, &c. these also are to be numbred a­mong the LORD's Hosts: and by them he executes his Pleasure, whether in Judgment, or in Mercy.

But among the numerous Hosts in this inferiour Creation, Mankind bear a distinguishing Figure. And when God is stiled "the LORD of Hosts," it some­times more immediately refers to the intellectual Part of the World, who are united in various Communi­ties, Kingdoms, Provinces, Towns, Families, &c. of all which GOD is the supream Head, Former, Preser­ver, and Ruler. "He created Man upon Earth.—"He hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men, for to dwell on all the Face of the Earth. He deter­mineth the Times fore-appointed, and the Bounds of their Habitation.—"He ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men,—and is "the Governour among the Nations:"—presiding over all Societies and Persons; ruling the Spirits, as well as the Bodies of Men, and ordering all the Incidents of human Life.—If we speak of publick Calamities, those "three sore Evils, Pestilence, Fa­mine, [Page 15] and Sword," are the grand Artillery of Heaven, the Judgments of GOD's Hand, which he sendeth to pu­nish a sinful People. In particular, the Sword is his: and he sheaths or unsheaths it, as he pleases. He "mustereth the Host of the Battle," and succeeds, or defeats, at his Pleasure. The Events of War are at his absolute Dispose. "The Victory is his," on whatever Side it turns. He is "the LORD of Hosts,—"the GOD of Armies,—in the literal, military Sense.—More especially is he "the GOD of Israel," LORD of the Church, the religious Assemblies of his People, which are sometimes figuratively called his Hosts. He only is the Object of Worship, and he has the sole Right of Empire over his People in the Matters of Divine Worship. He is the sole Lord of Conscience; and he only has "Dominion over our Faith."—It is written, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.—"Worship him, all ye Gods.—Kings of the Earth, and all People; Princes, and all Judges of the Earth; both Young Men and Maidens, Old Men and Children: let them praise the Name of the LORD: for his Name alone is excellent; his Glory is above the Earth and Heaven.

But to add one Remark further,

Even the infernal Host is under a Divine Restriction and Providential Government. "The Angels that sinned," were immediately "cast into Hell, and clapt in Chains of Darkness," even "everlasting Chains." These, altho' in a Sense sometimes said to be "loosed out of their Prison," and the Devil compared to "a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour," yet are always under Check. "The Devil and his Angels, with all their confederate Forces, Sinners on Earth, and lost Souls in Hell,—the whole "Power of Dark­ness," have a Divine Restraint upon them: and the glorious GOD, by his infinitely superiour Wisdom and [Page 16] Strength, over-ruling all their Plots and Efforts in Opposition to him, makes even these Rebel-Spirits subservient to his Designs, "though they mean not so.

Thus we see, Heaven, Earth, and Hell have their several Hosts; which are all, in one Sense or another, the Hosts of the LORD. So that he hath number­less and most powerful Armies under his Command.

"Great then is the LORD: and greatly to be praised."^* He indeed only is the proper Object of our devout Addresses and religious Regards. He deserves and claims our highest Homage, the supreme Love of our Hearts, and intire Service of our Lives. GOD is worthy, and makes the Demand, that a Respect to him should be our reigning Principle, his Will our governing Rule, and his Glory our predominant End. This is of moral Obligation upon us.—But alas, we are in a fallen State, and can never rise up to the Perfection of moral Duty, becoming the Majesty and Holiness of him "with whom we have to do." Nor can we hope to do him acceptable Service, without previous Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the New Covenant, the Propitiation for our Sins, and our Advo­cate with the Father. With what Humility does it become Sinners to approach the Majesty of Heaven? And what Care to make use of the Mediation of Christ? Always "coming to God by him; and whatsoever we do, in Word or Deed, doing all in his Name," with a believing Eye to the Merits and Intercession of the Lamb of God: And indeed "calling on the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ," paying him all the Ho­mage, [Page 17] and giving him all the Glory, due to "the LORD of Hosts." Thus, "honouring the SON, even as we honour the FATHER," both being ONE, with Re­spect to Union in "eternal Power and Godhead;" for which Reason, we are assured, "He that so honour­eth not the SON, neither honoureth he the FATHER himself.—There is "one GOD, even the Father," and there is also "one LORD," even the Son. The Phrases, One God and One Lord, are of the same Im­port in Scripture-Use; being meant in Contradistinction, not to one another, but to the "Gods many, and Lords many," falsely so called.—Not all the Wit of Man, I believe, can devise a Medium between the Creator and the Creature, or form an Idea of Some­thing between God and an Angel. Were the Son of God a meer Creature, whatever Excellency of Na­ture, or Dignity of Station, he might be distinguished by; suppose him a Super-angelic Spirit, incarnate in human Nature; still he must be only ranked with the Hosts of the LORD; and not be distinguished by the honourable Ascription of this most elevated Divine Character, "the LORD of Hosts." Without the Belief of which, as justly belonging to him, it would be no­thing short of Idolatry, to pay him Divine Honours, by making him "our Hope," by "calling on his Name" in Prayer, by dedicating our selves to him in Baptism, by religiously commemorating him in the Lord's Supper, and by "living to him," or "living by the Faith of the Son of God.^†

[Page 18] But, to add another Reflection,

This Divine Character, "the LORD of Hosts," ad­ministers abundant Consolation & Encouragement to all sincere Believers & true Worshippers of God. Surely it is your Safety, Interest and Honour, and therefore your Wisdom, my Friends, that you are engaged in the Ser­vice of him who is "the LORD of Hosts;" a Name "great in Zion," and such as speaks him your most rightful Proprietor, King, and Judge, and all-sufficient Saviour. It is your happy Privilege, that he "whose you are and whom you serve," is "able to do for you exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or think." Verily, the LORD of Hosts is on your Side: and since HE is for you, who or what shall be against you? Nay, being in Friendship with him, you are also in League with all his Hosts in Heaven and Earth; nor shall the Host of Hell it self, however they may hate and distress you, be able finally to "prevail a­gainst you": much less need you "fear what Man can do unto you."—O follow "the Captain of your Sal­vation"; and he will in the End bring you safe to Glory, by the Conduct of his almighty SPIRIT. Yea, he "maketh his Angels ministring Spirits;" and they "encamp round about them that fear GOD," and who shall be Heirs of Salvation.—Even all his mighty Hosts, celestial and terrestrial, shall side with you a­gainst the infernal Host, and conspire to promote your eternal Safety and Blessedness. The Hills may be level'd with the Valleys, and Mountains be removed, and sink in the mighty Waters: yea, Earth and Hea­ven may pass away: but you being "joined to the LORD in an everlasting Covenant," the Promise is sure, from his Power and Faithfulness, that "all Things shall work together for Good to you." You being CHRIST's behold, "All Things are yours, and shall turn to your Salvation." The most violent Gusts of [Page 19] adverse Winds shall eventually do you no real Hurt; but rather "blow your Happiness," and waft you apace Heaven-ward. All the loyal Hosts of JEHO­VAH shall afford you their friendly Aids, in your Progress toward that everlasting "Rest, which remains for the People of God.—Amidst your troublesome and tedious Travels thro' this evil World, amidst all the Perils of the present Time, realize it, you are "kept by the Power of GOD through Faith unto Salvation.—Having therefore the LORD of Hosts for your Patron, "with whom is everlasting Strength," and having "your Heart established with Grace,—"your Heart fixed, trusting in GOD,—you need not be "afraid of evil Tidings"; you need not, you ought not, to be "afraid with Amazement", under the most frightful Aspects of Providence; no, not under the Apprehensions of Death it self, or of eternal Judgment. Though "God cometh out of his Place to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth," though "he maketh of a City an Heap; of a defenced City, a Ruin;" though "all Joy is dark­ned, the Mirth of the Land is gone, and all the Merry-hearted do sigh": yet "the LORD will ordain Peace for you", whether exempted from the common Cala­mity, or not. And conscious of having secured an In­terest in Christ by Faith, you may glory in the LORD, and say in that Day, "Lo, this is our GOD; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD, we have waited for him, and we will re­joyce in his Salvation." Though even universal Nature were all in a Combustion, though the Heavens were blazing over your Heads, the Earth burning under your Feet, and all the Hosts of both seemingly arming for your Destruction; yet are you safe, perfectly safe, in the Hands of him who is "the LORD of Hosts;" nor need be dismayed, in the least, even at the Terror of a dissolving World.—You I mean, who are among [Page 20] his peculiar People, reconciled to God, and righteous before him in your Generation.

But "the Ungodly are not so." You that are of an impious Character, are in an unsafe Condition, both living and dying; nor shall be able to "stand in the Judgment.—So long as you remain impenitent and unbelieving, you are assured, "the Wrath of GOD abideth on you": and all the Hosts of the LORD are against you, "skilful to destroy," and ready to "exe­cute Judgment," whenever he gives out the fatal Or­der. Surely, "the LORD is great; and greatly to be feared." With the LORD of Hosts is terrible Majesty, and irresistible Power. "Our GOD is a consuming Fire.—"Who shall not fear him!" Shall not "Man, that is a Worm," consider and be "afraid of him!" Much more sinful Man, that is odious to his Holiness, and obnoxious to his revenging Justice! Oh, "who can stand before this holy LORD GOD, when once he is angry! or, whither can you flee from his Presence!—"His Eyes behold the Nations;" his Eyes, that are "as a Flame of Fire," penetrate the darkest, and reach the most distant Recesses; "his Hand shall find out all his Enemies:" and he hath his powerful Hosts every where, prepared to "fight the Battles of the LORD"; by the very least of which he can bring you low, yea, destroy you in a Moment. Should the LORD commission his Hosts to make War against you, for your Destruction, how weak will be your Resist­ance, and how certain your Ruine? Should a righ­teous GOD bid "the Decree bring forth," and call to the Ministers of his Vengeance to do their Office, you may look that "the Heaven shall reveal your Iniquity, and the Earth rise up against you." And Hell gapes to receive your guilty Soul. The Hosts of the LORD, every one of them, from an Angel to an Insect, wait his Commands, and ever stand ready to [Page 21] put them in Execution. Realise it, you are surround­ed with his numerous Hosts, on every Side. They are above and beneath you, they are before and be­hind, on your right Hand and on your left, yea, even within, as well as without you. There is no resisting, nor escaping, if the LORD of Hosts empower and arm and send them against you. Will you not then "trem­ble for Fear of him? And will you not instantly "seek Peace with him?—Know it, this is your only Security; and therefore your highest Wisdom. "Acquaint your selves now with him, and be at Peace; thereby Good shall come unto you." Get reconciled to God in Christ, fear and love, and serve him: so you will be secured of his powerful Friendship, and the Friendship of all his Hosts. But, continuing impenitent Rebels▪ what remains for you, but "a fiery Indignation, that shall devour the Adversaries?—Certainly, "dying in your Sins," you will "fall into the Hands of the liv­ing God," under the Revenges of his unappeasable Justice: and then all the Hosts of the Lord will join in pouring Indignation and Contempt upon you.—Even in the present World, awful Judgments await you. For "God is angry with the Wicked every Day." And if he should arise, and whet his Sword, and come to deal with you in his hot Displeasure, "could your Heart undure, or your Hands be strong!" Oh, "whither will you flee for Help in that Day? And, where will you leave your Glory?"—How will you defend your selves against the Wrath of Almighty GOD? Or, how will you be "able to abide in the Day of his fierce Anger?" Before it be too late, "consider this, ye that forget GOD, lest he tear you in Pieces, and there be none to deliver!" O consider "what you will do in the Time of Visitation:" or rather inquire now, "what you must do to be saved," even with an everlasting Salvation!—And hasten the Flight of Faith to­wards [Page 22] our Lord Jesus Christ, who only can "save you from your Sins:" and "who delivereth from the Wrath to come." Do this, as ever you would obtain Conso­lation, that "strong, that "everlasting Consolation," which is the Privilege and Portion of them "who have fled for Refuge, to lay hold of the Hope set before them.

But thus much for the first Thing in the Text; the Character, under which GOD is spoken of.—I have en­larged upon it beyond my Intention; but much below the Merit of the important Subject.

In the next Place,

II. I am to say something of GOD's visiting his People.—Says the Prophet to Ariel, "Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of Hosts.—

This is a figurative Expression, frequent in Scrip­ture-Use. The Word, visit, properly signifies, one's going to see another, or meeting him, in Token of Friendship towards him, Care of him, or Respect for him.—When used less properly, it signifies in general a remembring and performing of something relative to others, whether Good promised, or Evil threatned. When God fulfils his Promises, or his Threatnings, in sending Good, or Evil, he is said to visit us.

It may not be amiss to premise here,

The Scripture sometimes speak of Divine Visitations for Good, and in Favour. To "visit the Widow and Fatherless," is to care for them, to relieve and supply them in their Necessities, to benefit and comfort them, according to the Obligations of Charity. It means a loving and merciful Visitation.—In the like Sense, GOD is sometimes said to visit his People. We read how "the Lord visited Hannah," and how he "visited Sarah, as he had said, even doing unto her as he had spoken." These were favourable Visitations, in Consequence of gracious Promises, or in Answer to [Page 23] Prayers of Faith.—When Joseph in Egypt lay on his Death-bed, he assured his Brethren, by the Spirit of Prophecy, that "GOD would visit them, and bring them [...] of that Land." Accordingly, when GOD raised [...] for a Deliverer, and sent him to the Israelites, he saluted them with a consolatory Message in those Terms, "The GOD of your Fathers hath appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you." And of the People, believing the glad Report, it is said, "When they heard that the LORD had visited the Children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their Affliction, they bowed their Heads and worshipped." This was a Visitation for Good, in Mercy and in Truth.—So with Respect to the Jews Restoration from their Captivity in Babylon, GOD is said to "visit them, and perform his good Word towards them".—These Providential Visitations were Typical of that more abundantly gracious Visitation, which GOD made to his People, in the Fulness of Time, by his Son Jesus Christ, the great Saviour, "worthy of more Glory than Moses." Even the fame which that godly Priest Zacharias celebrated in his Song of Praise. "Blessed be the LORD GOD of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his People; and hath raised up an Horn of Salvation for us." This is what the royal Psalmist, if interpreted by the Apostle, seems to have had principally in his Eye, where he says, "What is Man, that thou art mindful of him? and the Son of Man, that thou visitest him?" Which is in the New Testament apply'd to the Incarnation of GOD the SON, "who loved the Church, and gave himself for it.—The Scriptures also represent the Revealing and the Applying of purchased Redemption, under this Notion of a Divine Visitation. "The Day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give Light to them that sit in Darkness.—"A great Prophet is risen up among [Page 24] us; and, GOD hath visited his People.—"God did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a People for his Name.—These are spiritual Visitations, through Jesus Christ; by his Word and Ordinances, and by his holy Spirit. These are Visitations of the Souls of Men: super-eminent in their Nature, of the highest Importance, and eternal Consequence to us.

I thought it not unmeet to premise the Mention of these Visitations for Good, and in Mercy, though not intended in the Text: And surely wherein we have been "visited of the LORD of Hosts," in this bene­ficial Sense, we should take a thankful and admiring Notice of the gracious Condescension and Kindness of GOD to us.—We should pray for such Divine Visi­tations, whether of a temporal, or a spiritual Refe­rence. "Remember me, O LORD, with the Favour thou bearest to thy People: O visit me with thy Sal­vation; that I may see the Good of thy Chosen."—And we should be concerned, that we may "glorify GOD in the Day of Visitation", in every such Day, when visited with Good, in any Instance, and of what­ever Kind.

But besides these there are other Visitations, that are in a Way of Judgment: and these are directly pointed to in our Text.—The Scripture speaks else­where expresly and abundantly of a being "visited with Evil." In this Sense we are to understand those general Expressions: "Shall not I visit for these Things? saith the LORD.—"This is the City to to be visited. Agreably we read, "I will bring Evil upon them, even the Year of their Visitation.—And again, "What will ye do in the Day of Visitation, and in the Desolation that shall come from far?—We read of God's "visit­ing Transgressions with the Rod:—and visiting in his Anger.—There are judicial and penal, disciplinary and angry Visitations, as well as gracious and beneficent. [Page 25] "Thou hast visited and destroyed them."—These Vi­sitations are the Matter of many Divine Threatnings. "Now will he remember their Iniquity, and visit their Sins: they shall return to Egypt," their ancient House of Bondage.—"They shall fall, among them that fall: in the Time of their Visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.—And again, "In the Time of their Visitation they shall perish.—Accordingly our english Translators sometimes chose to depart from a literal Version of the Word, and only give the Sense. As where we read, "I will punish," in the Original it is, "I will visit upon—the Fruit of the stout Heart of the King of Assyria.—"The LORD hath a Con­troversy with Jacob, and will punish (Heb. visit upon) Jacob according to his Ways.—"What wilt thou say, when he shall punish (visit upon) thee?

When God remembers and executes his Words of Threatning, he is said thus to visit, i. e. in Anger, and with Evil.—By an usual Figure in Speech (a Synechdoche of the Genus for the Species) the inde­finite or general Word, visit, is often used, when An­ger is particularly meant, and Punishment designed.—To visit, in the punitive Sense, connotes Forbearance for a Time; when a merciful God seemeth to "wink at Men's Sins, and suffer their Manners," to "keep Silence," and not animadvert upon them in his Provi­dence: but "waiteth, that he may be gracious.—Yet, his Patience being abused, He at length arises, and comes to them in a Way of Judgment; and this, fre­quently at a Juncture "when they are not aware." He emphatically visiteth, in Anger, when he sends unexpected Calamities, after long Patience: As, when he "visiteth the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children. And when Destruction cometh "in an Instant, suddenly": as is often the Case, when he vi­sits with the Evils specify'd in our Text.

[Page 26] These Visitations, in a Way of Anger and Punish­ment, are fearful Visitations, and to be deprecated by us: yet certainly to be looked for, as they are justly deserved, if we "provoke the Lord to Jealousy," by "going on still in our Trespasses," notwithstanding Divine Warnings and Reproofs, and by "despising the Riches of his Goodness and Longsuffering to­wards us.

When angry Visitations are begun, it highly imports us, to be concerned that their Progress may be pre­vented; and therefore, to "lay them to Heart, to humble our selves under the mighty Hand of GOD, and turn to the Lord," in the Methods of Faith and Repentance, Confession and Supplication, with Amend­ment of our Doings. This is called "our visiting him, in the Time of Trouble.—He certainly expects this Return from us. And thus the End of his corrective Visitations being answered, we may hope, that he will not proceed in a Way of Controversy with us; or at least, that he "will not make a full End of us, but correct us in Measure," and forbear to pour out all his Wrath.—If we do indeed "return to the most High," and "visit him," in the Name of the blessed Mediator, with our penitential Confessions, and our believing Prayers, following the same with "Fruits wor­thy of Repentance," and "shewing our Faith by our Works," we may humbly hope, that he will "arise for our Help, and shew us his Mercy;" that he will "visit us with his Salvation," and "not rebuke us in his sore Displeasure.

But it is Time I come to that particular In­stance of Visitation, which the Occasions of this Day more especially point our Views to. Yet, as you have been already entertained with a Variety of Discourses on this Subject, I shall consider it with the greater Brevity at this Time.

[Page 27] III. I am to speak of God's visiting us with the Earthquake.

Among the various Articles enumerated in our Text, this is one. "Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of Hosts with Earthquake and great Noise.—What the Earthquake means, and what the great Noise attending it, none of you who have so lately felt the one, and heard the other, can want any De­scription. All therefore I shall do here, is briefly to assert a Divine Agency in this Event; and then con­sider it under the Idea of a Divine Visitation.

1. The Earthquake is undoubtedly one of the won­drous Works of the LORD of Hosts.—He that ori­ginally gave Being to the Earth, also gives Birth to the Events that happen therein. He is "the Creator of all the Ends of the Earth." He laid the Founda­tion of it, in the Beginning, and established it by his Wisdom and Might. He projected and executed the primitive Plan of its Form, its Composition, its Place in the Creation, its Powers, Motions, Productions, and Effects: and in all he supports, preserves, and governs it to this Day. He hath given it such a Proportion of Magnitude, so equally poised it on every Side, so adjusted all its relative Circumstances, so contempered all its various internal Contents, and made every Thing therein "in Number, Weight and Measure," in such Harmony, Consistency, and Regularity, with such Aptitude and Inclination to the several Ends and Uses they were designed for, and with such powerful Tendencies to the Good of the Whole: that we may reasonably suppose, the Earth would never have experienced such Disorders, nor suffered such Convulsions, as it doth, had it not been for the Sin of Man; and were it not for the special Inter­positions of a DIVINE AGENT, whose over-ruling [Page 28] Hand, and sovereign (all-controuling, but uncontroul­able) Dominion extends to the whole System of Nature.

What saith the Scripture? "In his Hand are the deep Places of the Earth;" subterraneous Caverns, and whatever passes in them, all at his absolute Dis­pose: "The Strength of the Hills is his also;" their Magnitude, Altitude, Consistence, and Influence, given or taken away by him, at his Pleasure. "The Sea is his," and "He treadeth on the Waves of the Sea." He hath "appointed the Sands for the Bound thereof." He governs it in all it's Motions, Fluxes and Refluxes, and the various Consequences thereof▪ He retains it within it's destin'd Limits, or causes it to break over its Boundaries, in terrible Inundations, where and when he pleaseth. "And his Hands form­ed the dry Land;" which gives him therefore a Right of Propriety in it, and of Dominion over it; and over all Things either upon the Surface, or within the Bowels of it.—"The Earth is the LORD's, and the Fulness thereof." And whatever Revolutions or Vicis­situdes happen on it, or in it, he presides, and governs all. The Fulness of the Earth is his: all its Produce, all its Incumbents, all it's Contents, at his absolute Disposal; and he adds, or diminishes, as he pleaseth, and with a resistless Power moderates in all terrene Affairs. The Earth itself is the LORD's. He "form'd it to be inhabited," by whom, and in what Parts he pleaseth: and as he has an indisputable Right, where he will, to "make it a Land desolate and not in­habited," so whenever this Event happens, and where-ever, or by whatever Means, a Divine Agency is to be seen and owned therein. "Lo; he that formeth the Mountains, and treadeth upon the high Places of the Earth; the LORD, the GOD of Hosts is his Name:" and at his Pleasure, he converts them into Valleys, or sinks them in the Ocean; or only threatens [Page 29] their Overthrow, by a mighty Tremor and Convulsion. Be the Force and Effects of an Earthquake in one De­gree or another, we are ever taught to ascribe it to GOD. Sometimes "He removeth the Mountains," and is said to "shake the Earth out of its Place:" but if only "the Pillars thereof tremble," if the per­petual Hills bow, tho' they be not scattered, it is still the Operation of his almighty Hand. In every such Case, we must make the Psalmist's devout Confession, "THOU hast made the Earth to tremble;" even al­tho' we have no Occasion to add his Complaint, "Thou hast broken it; heal the Breaches thereof."—Though it be said in the Story of God's Appearances to the Prophet Elijah, that "the LORD was not in the Earthquake," this is by no Means to be understood as if God were not the Author of it, but only that here­by he made no special Discoveries of his Mind and Will to the Prophet.

There may have been Earthquakes purely miraculous, and supernatural; not owing to any natural Causes, at least in their natural Course of Operation. As, that in the Case of Elijah: And that at the Promulgation of the Law of Moses, when "GOD came down on Si­nai, and the whole Mount quaked exceedingly." So that in the Case of Corah: And those which accom­panied our LORD's Death and Resurrection: So, that which "shook open the Prison-Doors," in the Story of the Jaylor: And perhaps that miraculous Event on the Day of Pentecost, was the Earthquake and great Noise. "Suddenly (it is said) there came a Sound from Heaven, as of a mighty rushing Wind, and it filled the House;" filled it with Noise and Tremor, at least: in which the Apostle notices the Fulfilment of ancient Prophecy: "I will shew Won­ders in Heaven above, and Signs in the Earth beneath.

[Page 30] But, without Question, usually the Earthquake, though a rare and surprising Phaenomenon (and never yet fully accounted for, on any Hypothesis) happens agreably to the Laws of Nature, and has its imme­diate Origin from Causes natural: very much the same perhaps with those that give Rise to Thunder.—But the Investigation of these is the Business of Philosophy, and the Controversies on this Head may well enough be left to "the Disputers of this World.

Theology points us to GOD, as the first Cause. Whatever be the secondary Causes, and Reasons in Nature, without Controversy "the LORD of Hosts" is the grand Operator, the prime Efficient. Being the Creator and Proprietor of the universal World, the Author and Preserver of all natural Causes, and of all their Virtues, Instincts, and Principles of Operation; He has an indisputable Claim to Government over them, and exercises his sovereign Right (as before observed) in guiding, influencing, limiting, and over-ruling them, according to the Counsel of his own Will, in Subserviency to the Designs of his Providence. Indeed such are the strange Appearances sometimes in the natural World, that it looks as if Nature had then broke loose from all Law and Order, and natural Agents were left to act at Random, with a wild Rage and unbounded License. But the Truth is, amidst all their Impetuosity, mutual Contrariety, and Confusion, they are "not without Law to God," but still are re­strained and governed by his almighty Hand, and "ful­fil his Word." Not an Earthquake happens, whether great or small, and whatever its natural Causes or Effects, but GOD is the supreme Author. It is pri­marily the Work of him who is the LORD of Hosts.

2. It is a Divine Visitation, wherever it comes. "Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of Hosts with Earthquake and great Noise." It is always a Visitation [Page 31] from Heaven: but of various Intention and Influence not always on the same special Design, nor uniformly productive of the same Effects.

Permit me to say here distinctly,

1. In general, this Visitation from the LORD of Hosts is an eminent Display of his Majesty & Power, and carry's with it very signal Tokens of his awful Presence and Agency in this World of ours.

To this Purpose those Passages in Deborah's Song: ‘LORD, when Thou wentest out of Seir, when Thou marchedst out of the Field of Edom, the Earth trembled,—the Mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai, from before the GOD of Israel.’—And those Passages in one of Asaph's Psalms: ‘I will remember the Years of the Right-hand of the MOST HIGH.—Who is so great a God, as our GOD? Thou art the GOD that doest Wonders: Thou hast declared thy Strength among the People.—The Waters saw Thee, O GOD, the Waters saw Thee: they were afraid; the Depths also were troubled; the Earth trembled and shook.’—Remarkable likewise are those Words in the Prayer of Habakkuk: ‘GOD came from Teman, and the HOLY ONE from Mount Paran. His Glory covered the Heavens, and the Earth was full of his Praise. He stood & measured the Earth;—the everlasting Moun­tains were scattered, the perpetual Hills did bow,—the Curtains of the Land of Midian did tremble.’

The Scriptures speak as if at such a Season the LORD of Hosts "arose to shake terribly the Earth." He "riseth up out of his Place, boweth the Heavens, and cometh down," and ‘at his Presence the Earth trembleth.’—"The LORD GOD of Hosts is he that toucheth the Land:—He looketh upon the Earth," and the Mountains shake, the Rocks quiver, universal Nature is struck with solemn Dread.—"Earthquake [Page 32] and great Noise" (though it proceed no further) is a Terror even to the Brute-Creation.—Besure scarce any Thing more sensibly strikes the human Mind with Awe and Surprise. The Reasons of this, whether natural or moral, are obviously such as these. It is an uncommon Event, it comes suddenly, threatens Destruction in a Moment both to us and ours, throws all about us into Consternation and Confusion, is an Image and Presage of the final Judgment, and Dissolu­tion of the World at the last Day, when Sinners will find all Refuge fail them; in a Word, is a loud and awakening Lecture to Conscience, upon the Being, Perfections, and Providence of GOD.—It peculiarly exhibits him in the Greatness of his Power, the Extent of his Dominion, and the Glory of his Majesty, per­haps beyond any other of his Works of the like Kind. It is singularly calculated to alarm and rouse a secure World, to intimidate the bold Criminal, to shame and humble the haughty Worldling, to surprise the Hypo­crite; in short, to make all Men "know there is a GOD who judgeth in the Earth," and "know themselves to be but Men."—We read in the Prophet Ezekiel, ‘In that Day there shall be a great Shaking in the Land of Israel,—so that all Creatures shall shake at my Presence.’—Thus will I magnify my self, and I will ‘be known in the Eyes of many Nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.’—The Earthquake is a Dispensation strongly tending to keep up a Sense of GOD in the World, a Reverence for Religion, and a Restraint upon the Wickedness of the Wicked: Per­haps Infidelity and Atheism would be rampant, were it not for such convincing Witnesses and awakning Monitors of a Divine Being and Providence.—Even good Men may sometimes need these shaking Dispen­sations to quicken them, and make them more care­ful to "walk humbly with their GOD.—That Earth­quake, [Page 33] which holy Elijah felt the Shock and saw the Terror of, was to shew him the Glory and Majesty of GOD, to strike him with a deeper Awe, and prepare him for the more lowly and reverential Entertainment of the Divine Messages and gracious Discoveries he was going to receive in the "still small Voice."—

But I hasten to observe,

2. The Earthquake has sometimes been so circum­stanced, as to be an evident Token of GOD's Favour to his People: and he has by Means thereof wonder­fully visited them with his Salvation.

Of old, when GOD has been "sore displeased with the Heathen, that were at Ease," and were im­placable Enemies to his chosen Nation, He has "shaken the Earth," and thereby "overthrown the Kingdoms of the Heathen," or greatly weakned their Power, by its being the Occasion of routing their Armies. If the Earth has not opened, and by swallowing up their Adversaries brought Salvation to God's People; yet this Effect has been accomplished by Means of a Pa­nick siezing the Enemy on such an Occasion. This was instrumental towards Jonathan's famous Triumph over the Philistine Enemy. We read, ‘There was a Trembling in the Host, & in the Field, & among all the People: the Garison, & the Spoilers, they also trem­bled, and the Earth quaked: so that it was a very great Trembling [a Trembling of GOD.] And the Watchmen of Saul in Gibeah looked; and behold, the Multitude melted away, and they went on beat­ing down one another.’—An Earthquake, if it was not among the Means made Use of for the Israelites Escape from the pursuing Egyptians, in the Days of Moses; yet in the Time of Joshua it was among the "Wonders GOD wrought," at Israel's passing through Jordan, in Token of his Favour to them, and for a Terror to their Enemies. To which notable Story [Page 34] the Psalmist alludes: ‘When Israel went out of Egypt, the Sea saw and fled: Jordan was driven back. The Mountains skipped like Rams; and the little Hills, like Lambs. What ailed thee, thou Sea!—thou Jordan!—Ye Mountains!—[the Occasion of it is hinted in the following Clause] Tremble, thou Earth, at the Presence of the LORD, at the Presence of the GOD of Jacob.’—In a previous Speech to the People Joshua had told them the Meaning of this Wonder. ‘Hereby ye shall know, that the living GOD is among you, and that he will without Fail drive out from before you the Canaanites.—God assured Joshua, it was designed in Favour and Honour to him, in special. This Day will I begin to magnify thee in the Sight of all Israel, that they may know I will be with thee, as I was with Moses.’—And the Divine Presence with Mo­ses had been testify'd by the Earthquake, not only at the Promulgation of the Law, but also in the Affair of Corah's Mutiny against him.—In that Regard, Mo­ses and Joshua were eminent Types of CHRIST, who had a Testimony borne him from Heaven repeatedly by the Earthquake, at his Death, and at his Resur­rection.—In like Manner, his Apostles and primitive Disciples were repeatedly honoured with this Token of God's special Presence & Approbation; as you read in the Book of the Acts.—That "great Earthquake" in the Story of the Jaylor, at Philippi, was not only honorary to those imprisoned Ministers of Christ, Paul and Silas, and the Means of their Deliverance out of the Hands of their cruel Persecutors (who, probably being intimidated on that awful Occasion, were the rather willing to discharge them) but it proved more signifi­cantly beneficial to the abusive Jaylor himself, who thereupon had his Conscience awakened, and was brought solicitously to enquire after eternal Salvation.— [Page 35] Truly, whenever this is a Consequence of the Earth­quake, it is, however for Correction, yet in Mercy. Though a terrible Visitation, yet is it a merciful one in the Event, when sanctify'd of God for saving Ad­vantage to Souls; especially when considerable Num­bers are the happy Subjects of good Impressions, at such a Season. A gracious Visitation by the HOLY SPIRIT, attending this Visitation in Providence, how­ever grievous and tremendous for the present, turns it into a beneficial one, and joyous, in the Reflection. Yea, though it prove the Destruction of many Lives, yet if "the Remnant are affrighted, and give Glory to the GOD of Heaven," by making a wise Use of such a bereaving and desolating Visitation, to the Ends of Religion, and the saving of the Soul, it is to them eventually a Visitation in Mercy, and for their best Good.

It remains to observe, more directly to the Purpose of our Text,

3. The Earthquake is most commonly a Visitation in holy Displeasure at a People, for their Sins.

The Earthquake usually carry's the Face of an angry Visitation, procured by Sin. The first Sin of Man, not only brought Wrath upon himself, and on his Offspring; but "subjected the Creature to Vanity," and entailed a "Curse upon the Ground:" which the accumulative Guilt of new Rebellions, among the suc­cessive Inhabitants of the Earth, provokes God to put in Execution from Age to Age. So outragious and obstinate was the Wickedness of the Generality even of Adam's more immediate Posterity, that "God re­pented he had made Man upon the Earth;" and ac­cordingly, by a terrible Execution of Justice, the World that then was, being overflowed with Water, perished." An universal and most fatal Inundation! An Example of "Perdition of ungodly Men," not to be parallel'd, [Page 36] but by the final Conflagration, which "the Earth that now is," we are assured by Revelation, is "reserved unto." Yet in the mean Time, particular Cities, or Countries, are not exempt from a similar Overthrow and Desolation: Instances of which there have been many, both ancient and modern, and some very re­cent. As "GOD spared not the old World," so neither spared he Sodom and Gomorrah, and other heathen Cities in the new World, in like Manner giv­ing themselves over to Filthiness, but "condemned them with an Overthrow, making them an Ensample of Vengeance, to them that after should live ungodly." Nor hath God spared even his own professing People (whether Jews, or Christians) when their Apostacy has ripen'd them for Destruction. Hence that of the Prophet Amos, speaking to Israel, in GOD's Name; "Some of you I have overthrown, as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah." An express Scripture-In­stance of this we have in the Case of Corah and his wicked Accomplices, who were partly destroyed by Fire from Heaven, and partly swallowed up by an Earthquake, in the Days of Moses.—The Words of Amos, dated expresly "two Years before the Earth­quake," when he prophesy'd, "that the Land should tremble," and that GOD would "smite the Winter-House, with the Summer-House, and the great Houses should have an End; that he would "smite the great House with Breaches, and the little House with Clefts; that "the Songs of the Temple should be Howlings in that Day, there being many dead Bodies in every▪ Place," &c. this Prophecy, it is thought, was fulfil'd in that memorable Instance which the Prophet Zecha­riah refers to, where he takes Notice how the People "fled from before the Earthquake in the Days of Uzziah King of Judah". Which, by this Hint, seems to have been a great and terrible Earthquake, some­thing [Page 37] like that which "all Israel fled" from before, in the Wilderness. Perhaps the Prophet Isaiah, who was contemporary with Uzziah, refers to this same Event, which he might be an Eye-witness to in those Words of his▪ ‘Because they have despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel, therefore is the Anger of the LORD kindled against his People, and he hath smitten them; and the Hills did tremble, and their Carcases were torn in the midst of the Streets.’—Josephus the Jewish Antiquary seems to confirm this Thought, when he informs us, from Tradition, of such Circumstances attending this Earthquake; that "it rent the Roof of the Temple, and tore down a Moun­tain, which rolling along choak'd up the High-ways, and coverd the King's Gardens all over with Rubbish." It might then happen, according to the Prophecy of Amos, that there were "many dead Bodies;" or according to Isaiah's Report, that "the Carcases of Men were torn in the Streets." While they "fled from before the Earthquake," the falling Mountain might catch and crush them; the Rocks, thrown down and rolling along, might overtake and destroy them; and many might perish by the Fall of the Houses, that were shook down. This was a judicial Visitation: the Prophet expresly ascribes it to "the Anger of the LORD kindled against his People; and" visiting their Transgressions upon them.—These Scripture-Accounts teach us always to view it as an angry Visitation, for Sin, when the Earthquake is the Means of awful Deaths and Devastations, in whatever Part or Age of the World this happens. Such undoubtedly was that which the Jewish Antiquities acquaint us, fell out in the Reign of Herod (a little before Christ's Coming) when the whole Land was shaken in a most amazing Manner, a Multitude of Houses thrown down, and some Thousands of the Inhabitants bury'd in the [Page 38] Ruins.—And such undoubtedly were the "Earthquakes in divers Places," that fell out according to our LORD's Prediction, not very long after his Ascension, when (as History informs us) some great and populous Cities, yea, Numbers of them at a Time, were overthrown and destroyed: in which Desolations, not Pagans only, but Jews▪ and Christians too, many of them were in­volved.—And we have Reason to think, such also were those in following Ages, which befel many Cities where Christianity had once flourished, but Apostacy having taken Place and prevailed, this proved their utter Ruin.

The Time would fail me, to tell of Antioch (the City first honoured with the Name Christian) of Sar­dis, of Smyrna, of Laodicea, &c. (in the Number of the seven Churches in the Revelation; which have long since perished by Earthquakes, that left them scarce any Mark or Memorial where they stood) and of several Parts of Sicily and Naples, (often visited with Earthquakes, and sometimes almost intirely de­molished by them) and of Constantinople (formerly a Christian City, though now Mahometan; always subject to Earthquakes; a very terrible and destructive one befel it about two Years since) and of Lisbon, with adjacent Places, (very lately, and most dreadfully overthrown) and of Cadiz (another recent Instance) with other Places, where Earthquakes and Inundati­ons have destroyed much Substance, and many Lives▪ As also of Places in the American Parts of the World▪ Antigua, Nevis, Jamaica, Lima, &c. which have sometimes been almost destroyed by Earthquakes.—Nay, though we are not to judge the People of such Places to have been "Sinners above all Men", yet if the like Sins were abounding among them, as the Scrip­tures tell us were the procuring Causes of like Deso­lations in other Places of old, it is no Breach of Cha­rity, [Page 39] to suppose the Places I have mentioned, were "visited of the LORD of Hosts," in this fearful Man­ner, for their Transgressions; and have been "thrown down in his Anger.—"Righteousness exalteth a Na­tion: but Sin is the Reproach of any People." When "the Foundations of the Earth are moved exceed­ingly, when a Place "falls," and especially if it "rises not again," it is a Sign "the Transgressions thereof are heavy upon it," and a Token of "Wrath gone out from the LORD against it.—When "the Curse devour­eth the Earth," in particular Spots of it, and spreads Desolation among its Inhabitants, the Scripture teaches us to look on it as a Sign, that "the Earth is defiled under its Inhabitants, because of their Transgressions," and that an angry Providence has "visited for these Things.—As it is written, "Who hath harden'd him­self against GOD, and hath prospered? Which re­moveth the Mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his Anger."—But is the Lord displeased at the Mountains? Or is his Indignation against the Earth? No, but against them that dwell upon it; who by their Iniquities provoke him to Wrath, which he sees fit sometimes to manifest in this terrible Way.—Such angry Visitations are divine Re­monstrances to the suffering People, against their Sins: and loud Warnings to the rest of the World, to hear and fear. "Go ye now (saith the Lord) to 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.

However, supposing there be only Earthquake and great Noise, without any detrimental Effects, yet is it to be looked on a Visit from the LORD of Hosts, and usually in Anger. Though Houses stand, and no Life be lost, no destructive Inundation breaking in, nor "Flame of devouring Fire" breaking out; yet may [Page 40] it be an angry Visitation. There are various Signs of Resentment, besides stabbing with the Sword, or smiting with the Fist. Anger may be shewn by the Counte­nance, as well as by the Hand; by a Frown, as well as by a Scourge: And by lighter Strokes, or meer Shakings of the Rod, as well as by heavy and de­stroying Blows. If God "appoints over us Terror," though without Consumption; especially if he "smites us with great Terror and Astonishment," as in the Earth­quake, if it rises to any high Degree; when "our Lips quiver, and our Flesh trembleth," at the dreadful Sound in our Ears, and threatning Agitation we feel and see of all Things about us; and when withal a guilty Conscience, at such a distressing Season, awakes, and smites, the Sinner with Remorse and Horror, in the Remembrance of Sin. and under the Apprehension of an angry God visiting his Iniquities. Though indeed this may eventually "turn to his Salvation," yet is it really a Dispensation of Wrath, a Display of the "fiery Law" and incensed Justice of Heaven; and appears such, at present, to the alarmed Sinner.

The Earthquake that fell out at our SAVIOUR's Crucifixion, proclaimed a Divine Indignation at the horrid Fact. The Psalmist probably refers to that, where he prophetically says, "Then the Earth shook and trembled, because GOD was wroth." And tho' in the Scripture-Story we do not read of Devastations by it, of Houses falling, or of Lives lost; yet we do of "the People's smiting their Breasts," and returning from the Place of Execution in great Consternation and Astonishment. The Earthquake with great Noise, tho' in the Event harmless, as to outward Effects, yet carry's in it a tremendous Appearance, has the Aspect of an angry "Visitation from the LORD of Hosts;" and in all common Cases is to be considered by us in that Light. As it is written, ‘The LORD is the true GOD, he is [Page 41] the living GOD, and an everlasting King▪ at his Wrath the Earth shall tremble.’

But it is Time I come to a CONCLUSION; which I shall do with applying this Subject in a few practical Reflections and Exhortations.

1. In general, let us then see and own the Agency of GOD in the great and terrible Earthquakes, this and other Places have lately felt. Let us realise it, that herein they and we have been indeed "visited of the LORD of Hosts.—It would be Atheism, to ascribe these Events to meer Casualty, or Chance: and it would be vain Philosophy, to terminate all our In­quiry in meer natural Causes. The Christian (so called) would be "worse than an Infidel," not to carry up his Views, to that ALMIGHTY AGENT, who go­verns all Events in universal Nature. May none a­mong them that name the Name of CHRIST, have that Complaint lying against them; "LORD, when thy Hand is lifted, they will not see."—O that there never were Occasion to ‘declare this in the House of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying, Hear now this, O foolish People; and without Understanding, which have Eyes, & see not, which have Ears, & hear not! Fear ye not ME? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at MY PRESENCE?’

2. Let us admire the Patience and Long-suffering of GOD towards a World lying in Wickedness, that he no oftner repeats his angry Visitations by de­structive and terrible Earthquakes.

This Dispensation may, for its Unusualness, be term­ed "his strange Work. Men's perishing by Means of an Earthquake was on [...] called "a new Thing▪ (Num. 16. 30.) And it has been a rare Thing ever since, com­paratively with their dying by Sickness, called "the Visitation of all Men." It is less infrequent indeed in some Parts of the Earth, than in others, and perhaps [Page 42] will become more and more common in this last Age of the World. In a natural Sense, "the Earth waxes old, as doth a Garment:" and an old Garment easily admits of Rents. But if we take it in a moral Sense, as the World grows old in Sin, and the final Dissolution approaches nearer, we may reasonably expect a greater Frequency of this Divine Judgment.—In the mean Time, what admiring Thoughts should we have of the Riches of God's sparing Goodness and Forbearance towards "this present evil World," in general!

3. In particular, let us take a thankful Notice of his distinguishing Mercy to us; while we ascribe Righ­teousness to him, in his terrible Doings towards others.

How should "our Souls magnify the LORD, and our Spirits rejoyce in GOD our Saviour," that We have never yet been "visited of the LORD of Hosts" in the like destructive Manner as many other Parts have been!—We have learnt by Experience, that we dwell in a Land liable to the Earthquake. And doubt­less there are the like Provisions in Nature for Earth­quakes of equal Force, to produce calamitous Effects, correspondent to those in other Places: Nor have we any Grounds to flatter our selves as if sufficient mo­ral Causes were not found among us, even among us.—Who then has made us to differ? And why are we distinguished from others? Certainly we must re­solve it into the sovereign Pleasure of Him "who hath Compassion on whom he will have Compassion." To this it is intirely owing, that the Visitations made us in this Way, though we have Reason to conclude them angry Visitations, have hitherto been but disci­plinary, and mingled with much Clemency and Ten­derness.

As vast as the Mischiefs impending over us in the Time of our Visitation, so great is the Deliverance we have received! Let us reflect, and realize, how [Page 43] the LORD of Hosts appeared "marching through the Land in Indignation," threatning every Town with instant Ruin, every Family with immediate Desolation, every Person with sudden Destruction!—Let us think; Might not our Houses, which tottered and reeled in so amazing a Manner, have fallen in Pieces, and become our Graves!—Or might not the Ground have cleaved under our Feet, and swallowed us up in its dismal Hollows! Might not the Flame of devouring Fire have broken out, and consumed us in a Moment! Or the Sea have rolled in it's angry Billows, and over­whelmed us with a desolating Flood!—Truly, we were visited in a fearful Manner, and we trembled "because of the Shaking of the Hand of the LORD of Hosts, which he shook over us:" but be▪ hold, he hath saved us out of our Fears, and hath wrought for us "this great Deliverance."—Not a House is fallen,—not a Life is lost,—not even a Limb broken! "Praise ye the LORD."—"How great is his Goodness!" and how great his Power,—in our wonderful Preservation! The same Divine Hand, that shook our Dwellings in so tremen­dous Manner, held their several Parts in Union, and rescued their respective Inhabitants from being crushed by the Fall of them. The same Almighty Arm, that shook the Land and Ocean, kept the Foundations from breaking up, and prevented our being deluged by invading Waves, or consumed by resistless Flames. He who is "mighty to save," as well as able to destroy, has wrought marvellously for us. His Wrath was kindled, his Hand was stretched out, he terribly shook us, and threatned to smite with a killing Blow: but "Mercy rejoyced against Judgment." He listned to the Pleadings of his own Bowels: and "in the midst of Wrath be remembred Mercy." The compassionate Keeper of the Vineyard interceeded for the barrest [Page 44] Figtree, "Spare it this Year also." And we are once more reprieved from impendent, merited Destruction. Though the great Terror has been repeated, yet so likewise has▪ been the great Deliverance. We must confess, "It is of the Mercies of the LORD, that we are not consumed," and made the Monuments of his vindictive Justice, even as others.

Very surprising and most melancholy Accounts we have had of late Desolations, made by the Earth­quake in various Parts of Europe; more especially at LISBON, the Metropolis of Portugal, and one of the wealthiest Cities upon Earth: but now lying in Ruins, supposed irreparable. "Alas, Alas, that great City! for in one Hour is she made desolate.—In one Hour so great Riches are come to Nought!" The Build­ings all demolished, Thousands of Lives (it is thought, not less than fifty Thousand) lost,—and Thousands of the Survivors reduced to Beggary, or extreme Want.—Truly they are just Objects of our Sympathy: and all ought to pity and pray for them; wishing them all needful Help in this Time of Trouble; but a­bove all, wishing that they may "glorify GOD in this Day of their Visitation," by Repentance and A­mendment of their Ways, by deserting "the Man of Sin," and "turning to GOD from Idols, to serve the living and true GOD, and to wait for his SON from Heaven," the sole Head of the Church, and the one only Mediator between God and Men▪—We should be the more affected with that amazing Catastrophe, as its Influence will be so extensive in the trading World, reaching doubtless to Numbers among our­selves; and as it happen'd within the same Month in which we were awfully threatned with the like Cala­mity, but spared through the tender Mercies of our GOD. The Coincidence of such different Events at the same Juncture, makes both the more remarka­ble, [Page 45] "Behold the Goodness & the Severity of GOD!". His righteous Severity on them which fell; but to­ward us unmerited Goodness!—By the one, we see what might have befallen us, and how wonderfully we have escaped imminent Ruin.—By the other, we see what inexpressible Obligations we are under to GOD, our sole Deliverer: who, when he might justly have de­stroyed, did but shake and terrify us; and now hav­ing quieted the Earth, has also delivered us from the disquieting Terror.—"Stand still, and see the Salva­tion of GOD!—"Stay your selves, and wonder.—Wonder at the Distinction made by sovereign Goodness: and "be ye thankful.—And such surely have a superadded Obligation to this, who have had the Visitation in Providence accompany'd to them with a Visitation of the Holy Spirit; sanctifying the same to them, either for their Awakning and Conversion, or for their Quick­ning and Edification. These have had a blessed Visita­tion indeed! Doubly merciful! Such have eminent Occasion to be thankful; and We, on their Account.

4. Let us all be concerned to have these Providen­tial Visitations sanctified to us; that we may learn the Lessons of Wisdom therein taught us, and may make a right Use thereof, to the End GOD may be glorified, and our selves benefited thereby, in the most significant Sense.

"GOD hath spoken in his Holiness."—We have had a loud Lecture on the Existence, Providence, and Perfections of GOD; on the Frailty of Man; the Va­nity of Creature-Helps; our Need of a better Portion than one in the Earth, "this little Dwelling-place of Worms," unstable too, and liable to such shocking Vi­cissitudes; our Need, consequently, of an Interest in GOD, who is "the Portion of Jacob," through Faith in CHRIST; and so, the Wisdom of the happy Few, [Page 46] that have "chosen the good Part;" but the Folly of the wretched Multitude, that "forsake their own Mer­cies."—O let us "hear Instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.—We have had a loud Call, to "fear the Lord of Hosts;—to "stand in Awe, and sin not;—to "humble our selves under the mighty Hand of God;—to "consider our Ways, and turn our Feet unto his Testimonies;—to "seek Peace,—and "flee for Re­fuge, to lay hold of the Hope set before us, in the Gospel of Reconciliation.—Not only the destroying Judgments of God on others, but the threatning Visi­tations we our selves have been under, speak this our Duty and our Wisdom.

In the Earthquake, we have had a practical Sermon, preached to us in very awful Accents, upon the abso­lute Necessity of Repentance towards God, and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.—It thundred out the Menaces of the Law against secure Sinners; ringing that doleful Peal in their Ears; "WO to them that are at Ease in Zion.—It cried aloud, in the Language of that Gospel-Caveat, to awakened Sinners, "Quench not the SPIRIT.—It gave a solemn Admonition to the Children of God, to "awake out of Sleep, to "arise, and trim their Lamps; and to "look diligently, lest any Man fail of the Grace of God;" to pray and labour for the Conversion of others; and in their respective Places to promote a general Reformation.—The Call indeed is of universal Extent, to all Societies, and all Persons, of every Character, Colour, Condition, Rank, Sex, and Age: "Hear ye the Rod, and who hath ap­pointed it.

Have our Lives been awfully threatned, yet mer­cifully spared? Shall we not then devote them to the Honour of that God, in whose Hand our Breath is; [Page 47] and be led to Repentance, by his Goodness, which we are such remarkable Monuments of!^*

Have our Housholds been saved alive in the Time of common Hazard? And shall not Heads of Fami­lies be awakened to a greater religious Care of all under their Charge respectively? Each taking up Joshua's Resolution; "As for me and my House, we will serve the LORD."—And will not our Children from this Time fear GOD? and pay a greater Regard to the fifth Commandment? "Which is the first Com­mandment with Promise.

Have our Dwellings not been cut off? Let it then be our humble Resolve, with David, that we will "walk in our Houses with a perfect Heart." God knows how many "Houses full of Deceit," but empty of Godliness and Honesty, have been awfully shaken; that it is a Wonder they were not thrown down upon the guilty Dwellers therein, bringing them into Desolation in a Moment! And will not such now "put away all Iniquity far from their Tabernacles?—Were there not many prayerless Closets terribly sha­ken? And will not the Neglecters of secret Devotion now be awakned to improve their wonderfully pro­longed Opportunities for sacred Retirements?

Have our Possessions been mercifully preserved to us? And shall we not be engaged to a greater Care, that we "honour the LORD with our Substance?—Will not the rich Man take the Caution, "not to trust in uncertain Wealth, but in the living GOD? And the Poor, "not to envy them that prosper in the World," [Page 48] but to learn Patience and Contentment?—Will not the Husbandman think of the Earthquake, when he goes into his Field; and the Trader, when he goes into his Store; the Artificer, when in his Shop: and learn to practise Honesty, with Industry, and to do common Actions after a godly Sort?

Do our Houses of Worship yet stand; the Fall of which would have turned the Songs of the Temple into Lamentation, and perhaps had been the final Dis­solution of some of our religious Assemblies? And shall we not now have a higher Value for our Sanc­tuary-Privileges, "set our Affections more to the House of our God, and more diligently frequent it, "in Season, and out of Season?

How should the Churches, by a Sense of the Goodness of God, in not dissolving them, or not di­minishing their Numbers by a destroying Earthquake, be excited to a Care of reforming what is amiss in them, of maintaining brotherly Love, and improving in Purity of Doctrine, Worship, and moral Practice?

Will not the Ministers of the Word, by solemn Reflection on the Uncertainty of their Opportunities, as their own and their Hearers Lives appear so uncer­tain, be quickned to "redeem the Time," and double their Diligence in all the Duties of the Pastoral Care?

Do our Schools and Colleges yet stand, through the Mercy of God? And shall not these publick Means of Education be more prized, be better attended, and their genuine Ends more carefully pursued?

In a Word, Do our Court-Houses yet stand, through the sparing Goodness of God? And shall not our civil Affairs be carried on more in the "Fear of an Oath?—Will not our Magistrates do wisely, to apply the late Visitation as a Motive to greater Care of Fidelity in the Discharge of their respective Trusts; especially in the Execution of those good and wholsome Laws [Page 49] made against Profanity and Vice?—And should not all of us be "put in Mind to obey Magistrates," in every such Case, "not for Wrath, but for Conscience sake?^†

Sure I am, there is great Occasion; from the abound­ing Iniquity of the Times, for all to join their Endea­vours to promote a Reformation of Manners: and we have had a loud Call to this, in the late awful Visita­tion. If we hear and obey, we may hope, that God will "repent him of the Evil he may have thought to bring upon us." But otherwise, we may ex­pect still angry Visitations from his provoked Justice, and Destruction in the End. If we go on to abuse his Patience, we may look, that he will do more terrible Things in Righteousness; that he will not only shake our Earth, but tear up its Foundations; dissolve both Church and State, & bury an impenitent People in one common Grave of Desolation and Ruin.—"Thou Capernaum, which art lifted up to Heaven, shalt be brought down to Hell.—"Be instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my Soul depart from thee, lest I make thee desolate, a Land not inhabited.—"Ye that make mention of the LORD, for Zion's sake keep not Silence, and give him no Rest, until he make Jerusalem a Praise in the Earth, until the Righteousness [Page 50] thereof go forth as Brightness, and the Salvation there­of as a Lamp that burneth."—The Divine Author of an Earthquake is equal to this grand Effect. He is superiour to all Difficulties. He can remove Moun­tains of Guilt, and shake down the strong Holds of Sin and Satan. He can demolish the Kingdom of Darkness, establish and advance the Kingdom of his dear SON. He can effect the most glorious & happy spiritual Revo­lution, and that very suddenly. But "for this he will be enquired of, to do it for us.—O let all the Friends of our Zion unite their fervent Cries to the GOD of all Grace, that "the SPIRIT may be poured from on high.—This, and this only, will bring on a settled and prosperous State of Things; and thus shall "Glory dwell in our Land.

To conclude,

Those Divine Visitations with the Earthquake, we have been meditating on, should remind us of Death and Judgment, hastning upon us.—Though we should never see another Visitation in that Way; yet there is "the Visitation of all Men" certainly awaiting us. "There is a Time to die;" and "the Grave is ready for us.—By Sickness, or Accidents, more common than the Earthquake, and equally irresistible, Death may arrest us. Then the Earth will be opened for us, and we must go down into the Pit of Corruption. Nor know we the Day of our Death. It may come as suddenly as an Earthquake. And Oh how deplora­ble our Case, if surprised in our Sins, unprepared for so great a Change!—We look also for eternal Judg­ment: and we are told, "That Day will come as a Thief in the Night; will come upon Men unawares; even as the Flood of old did upon the World of the Ungodly, and as the Vengeance upon Sodom, in a Day when they looked not for it.—"Be ye therefore ready, lest the LORD coming suddenly should find you sleep­ing. [Page 51] —Oh the Consternation and Horror, which in an Instant unprepared Sinners will be thrown into, at the unexpected coming of the Day of GOD! You may see a faint Resemblance of it in the Descriptions given by the Prophet, Isai. 2. 19, &c. and by the Apostle, Rev. 6. 15, &c. which I leave you to read at your Leasure.—Verily "the Day of the LORD JESUS," when he shall "be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels, in flaming Fire," though it will be a joyful Day to "his Saints, in whom he then will be admired and glorified," yet will it be a terrible Day to Christless Sinners, whom he will then "take Vengeance on, and punish with ever­lasting Destruction;" which also will be "swift De­struction;" and attended with every aggravating Cir­cumstance.

O let us all now be "persuaded by the Terror of the Lord," to seek an Interest in Christ; and be concerned to secure Him for our Friend, who is to be our Judge. So shall we have Peace in Life, Hope in Death, and Boldness in the Day of Judgment; that great Day of GOD our SAVIOUR, when the Earth shall open, not to swallow up the Living, but to give up the Dead; when "all that are in their Graves shall come forth; they that have done Good, to the Resurrection of Life, but they that have done Evil, to the Resurrection of Damnation:" When "the Heavens shall be dissolved and the Earth burnt up, with all the Works therein.▪ "Nevertheless we, according to his Promise, look for new Heavens, and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteousness.—"Wherefore, Beloved, seeing ye look for such Things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in Peace, without Spot and blameless. And account the Long-suffering of our LORD Salvation.—To HIM be Glory and Dominion for ever. AMEN.