hell enlarges herself, and opens her mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, descend into it," Isa. v, 14: when there is no time to flee, or method to escape, or possibility to resist; when no sanctuary or refuge remains; no shelter is to be found in the highest towers, or lowest caverns; when the earth opens on a sudden, and becomes the grave of whole families, streets, and cities; and effects this in less time than you are able to tell the story of it; either sending out a flood of waters to drown, or vomiting out flames of fire to consume them, or closing again upon them, that they die by suffocation or famine, if not by the ruins of their own dwelling: when parents and children, husbands and wives, masters and servants, magistrates, ministers and people, without distinction, in the midst of health, and peace, and business, are buried in a common ruin, and pass altogether into the eternal world; and there is only the difference of a few hours, or minutes, between a famous city and none at all! Now if war be a terrible evil, how much more an earthquake, which, in the midst of peace, brings a worse evil than the extremity of war! If a raging pestilence be dreadful, which sweeps away thousands in a day, and ten thousands in a night; if a consuming fire be an amazing judgment; how much more astonishing is this, whereby houses and inhabitants, towns and cities, and countries, are all destroyed at one stroke in a few minutes! Death is the only presage of such a judgment, without giving leisure to prepare for another world, or opportunity to look for any shelter in this.

For a man to feel the earth, which hangeth upon nothing, (but as some vast ball in the midst of a thin yielding air,) totter under him, must fill him with secret fright and confusion. History informs us of the fearful effects of earthquakes in all ages; where you may see rocks torn in pieces, mountains not cast down only, but removed; hills raised not out of valleys only, but out of seas; fires breaking out of waters; stones and cinders belched up; rivers changed; seas dislodged; earth opening; towns swallowed up; and many such like hideous events!

Of all divine animadversions, there is none more horrid, more inevitable than this. For where can we think to escape danger, if the most solid thing in all the world shakes? If that which sustains all other things, threaten us with sinking under our feet, what sanctuary shall we find from an evil that encompasses us about? And whither can we withdraw, if the gulfs which open themselves, shut up our passages on every side? With what horror are men struck when they hear the earth groan; when her trembling succeeds her complaints; when houses are loosened from their foundations; when the roofs fall upon their heads, and the pavement sinks under their feet! What hope, when fear cannot be fenced by flight? In other evils there is some way to escape; but an earthquake incloses what it overthrows, and wages war with whole provinces; and sometimes leaves nothing behind it, to inform posterity of its outrages. More insolent than fire, which spares rocks; more cruel than the conqueror, who leaves walls; more greedy than the sea, which vomits up shipwrecks; it swallows and devours whatsoever it overturns. The sea itself is subject to its empire, and the most dangerous storms are those occasioned by earthquakes.

I come in the third and last place, to give you some directions suitable to the occasion. And this is the more needful, because ye know

not how soon the late earthquake, wherewith God hath visited us, may return, or whether he may not enlarge as well as repeat its commission. Once, yea, twice, hath the Lord warned us, that he is arisen to shake terribly the earth. Wherefore, 1. Fear God, even that God who can in a moment cast both body and soul into hell! "Enter into the rock and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty," Isa. ii, 10. Ought we not all to cry out, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty! Who shall not fear thee, oh Lord, and glorify thy name? for thy judgments are made manifest!" Rev. xv, 3, 4.

God speaks to your hearts, as in subterranean thunder. "The Lord's voice crieth unto the city,--hear the rod, and who hath appointed it," Mic. vi, 9. He commands you to take notice of his power and justice. "Come and see!" Rev. vi, 5, while a fresh seal is opening; yea, come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doings towards the children of men," Psa. lxvi, 5.

When he makes the mountains tremble, and the earth shake, shall not our hearts be moved? "Fear ye not me, saith the Lord, and will ye not tremble at my presence?" Jer. v, 22. Will ye not fear me, who can open the windows of heaven above, or break up the fountains of the great deep below, and pour forth whole floods of vengeance when I please! Who can rain upon the wicked snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest," Psa. xi, 6; or kindle those steams and exhalations in the bowels and caverns of the earth, and make them force their way to the destruction of towns, cities, and countries! Who can thus suddenly turn a fruitful land into a barren wilderness; an amazing spectacle of desolation and ruin!

"Shall a trumpet be blown in the city and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?" "The lion hath roared; who will not fear? With God is terrible majesty: men do therefore fear him." Some do; and all ought. Oh that his fear might this moment fall upon all you who hear these words; constraining every one of you to cry out, "my flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments!" Psa. cxix, 120. Oh that all might see, now his hand is lifted up, as in act to strike; is stretched out still; and shakes his rod over a guilty land, a people fitted for destruction! For is not this the nation to be visited? And "shall not I visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?" Jer. v, 9. What but national repentance can prevent national destruction?

"Oh consider this, ye that forget God, lest he pluck you away, and there be none to deliver you," Psa. I, 22. That iniquity may not be your ruin, repent! This is the second advice I would offer you, or rather the first enforced upon you farther, and explained. Fear God, and depart from evil: repent, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance: break off your sins this moment. "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well;" saith the Lord, Isa. i, 16, 17.

"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," Luke xiii, 3. "Therefore now saith the Lord, [who is not willing any should perish,] turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments, and turn

unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him?" Joel ii, 12–14.

"Who knoweth ?" A questions which should make you tremble. God is weighing you in the balance; and, as it were, considering whether to save or to destroy! "Say unto the children of Israel, ye are a stiff necked people; I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee," Exod. xxxiii, 5.

God waits to see what effect his warnings will have upon you. He pauses on the point of executing judgment, and cries, "How shall I give thee up?" Hos. xi, 8. Or, "Why should ye be stricken any more?" Isa. i, 5. He hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth. He would not bring to pass his strange act, unless your obstinate impenitence compel him.

Why will you die, oh house of Israel?" Ezek. xviii, 31. God warns you of the approaching judgment, that ye may take warning and escape it by timely repentance. He lifts up his hand, and shakes it over you, that ye may see it, and prevent the stroke. He tells you," Now is the axe laid unto the root of the trees," Matt. iii, 10: therefore repent; oring forth good fruit; and ye shall not be hewn down, and cast into the fire. Oh do not despise the riches of his mercy, but let it lead you to repentance! "Account that the long suffering of the Lord is salvation," 2 Pet. iii, 15. Harden not your hearts, but turn to him that smites vou; or, rather, threatens to smite, that ye may turn and be spared!

How slow is the Lord to anger! How unwilling to punish! By what leisurely steps does he come to take vengeance! How many lighter afflictions before the final blow!

Should he beckon the man on the red horse to return, and say, "Sword, go through this land;" can we complain he gave us no warning? Did not the sword first bereave abroad? And did we not then see it within our borders? Yet the merciful God said, “ Hitherto shalt thou come, and no farther;" he stopped the invaders in the midst of our land, and turned them back again, and destroyed them.

Should he send the man on the pale horse, whose name is Death, and the pestilence destroy thousands and ten thousands of us; can we deny that first he warned us by the raging mortality among our cattle ?

So if we provoke him to lay waste our earth, and turn it upside down, and overthrow us, as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah; shall we not have procured this unto ourselves? Had we no reason to expect any such calamity? No previous notice? No trembling of the earth before it clave? No shock before it opened its mouth? Did he set no examples of so terrible a judgment before our eyes? Had we never heard of the destruction of Jamaica, or Catania, or that of Lima which happened but yesterday? If we perish at last, we perish without excuse; for what could have been done more to save us?

Yes: thou hast now another call to repentance, another offer of mercy, whosoever thou art that hearest these words. In the name of the Lord Jesus, I warn thee once more as a watchman over the house of Israel, to flee from the wrath to come! I put thee in remembrance (if thou hast so soon forgotten it) of the late awful judgment, whereby God shook VOL. I.

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thee over the mouth of hell! Thy body he probably awoke by it; but did he awake thy soul? The Lord was in the earthquake, and put a solemn question to thy conscience, "Art thou ready to die?" "Is thy peace made with God?" Was the earth just now to open its mouth and swallow thee up, what would become of thee? Where wouldst thou be? In Abraham's bosom, or lifting up thine eyes in torment? Hadst thou perished by the late earthquake, wouldst thou not have died in thy sins, or rather gone down quick into hell? Who prevented thy damnation? It was the Son of God! Oh fall down, and worship him! Give him the glory of thy deliverance; and devote the residue of thy days to his service! This is the third advice I would give you, Repent, and believe the gospel. Believe on the Lord Jesus, and ye shall yet be saved. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish. Repentance alone will profit you nothing neither do ye repent unless ye confess with broken hearts the most damnable of all your sins, your unbelief; your having rejected, or not accepted, Jesus Christ as your only Saviour. Neither can ye repent unless he himself give the power; unless his Spirit convince you of sin, because ye believe not in him.

Till ye repent of your unbelief, all your good desires and promises are vain, and will pass away as a morning cloud. The vows which ye make in a time of trouble, ye will forget and break as soon as the trouble is over, and the danger past.

But shall ye escape for your wickedness, suppose the earthquake should not return? God will never want ways and means to punish impenitent sinners. He hath a thousand other judgments in reserve; and if the earth should not open its mouth, yet ye shall surely at last be swallowed up in the bottomless pit of hell!

Wouldst thou yet escape that eternal death? Then receive the sentence of death in thyself, thou miserable self destroyed sinner! Know thy want of living, saving, divine faith! Groan under thy burden of unbelief, and refuse to be comforted till thou hear him of his own mouth "Be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee."

say,

I cannot take it for granted that all men have faith; or speak to the sinners of this land as to believers in Jesus Christ. For where are the fruits of faith? Faith worketh by love; faith overcometh the world; faith purifieth the heart; faith, in the smallest measure, removeth mountains. If thou canst believe, all things are possible to thee. If thou art justified by faith, thou hast peace with God, and rejoicest in hope of his glorious appearing.

He that believeth hath the witness in himself; hath the earnest of heaven in his heart; hath love stronger than death. Death to a believer has lost its sting; "therefore will he not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea," Psa. xlvi, 2. For he knows in whom he has believed; and that neither life nor death shall be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus his Lord.

Dost thou so believe? Prove thy own self by the infallible word of God. If thou hast not the fruits, effects, or inseparable properties of faith, thou hast not faith. Come, then, to the author and finisher of faith, confessing thy sins, and the root of all, thy unbelief, till he forgive thee thy sins, and cleanse thee from all unrighteousness. Come to the friend of sinners, weary, and heavy laden, and he will give thee pardon !

judgments come in these latter days, yet whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord Jesus shall be delivered.

Call upon him now, oh sinner! and continue instant in prayer, till he answer thee in peace and power! Wrestle for the blessing! Thy life, thy soul is at stake! Cry mightily unto him,-"Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!" "God be merciful unto me a sinner!" Lord, help me! Help my unbelief! Save, or I perish! Sprinkle my troubled heart! Wash me throughly in the fountain of thy blood: guide me by thy Spirit: sanctify me throughout, and receive me up into glory! Now to God the Father, &c.

SERMON LVIII.-National Sins and Miseries.

Preached at St. Matthew's, Bethnal-green, on Sunday, November 12, 1775, for the benefit of the widows and orphans of the soldiers who lately fell, near Boston, in New-England.

"Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done?" 2 Sam. xxiv, 17.

THE chapter begins, " And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, to say, Go, number Israel and Judah." Again; it had been kindled against them but a few years before; in consequence of which "there had been a famine in the land three years," year after year, chap. xxi, 1, till David inquired of the Lord, and was taught the way of appeasing it. We are not informed, in what particular manner Israel had now offended God: by what particular cause his anger was kindled; but barely with the effect. "He moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah." He,-not God! Beware how you impute this to the Fountain of love and holiness! It was not God, but Satan who thus moved David. So the parallel scripture expressly declares: "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel," 1 Chron. xxi, 1. Satan stood before God, to accuse David and Israel, and to beg God's permission to tempt David. Standing is properly the accuser's posture before the tribunals of men; and therefore the Scripture, which uses to speak of the things of God after the manner of men, represents Satan as appearing in this posture before the tribunal of God. "And David said to Joab, and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it," verse 2.

2. It does not clearly appear wherein the sin of thus numbering the people consisted. There is no express prohibition of it in any of the Scriptures which were then extant. Yet we read, "The king's word was abominable to Joab," verse 6, who was not a man of the tenderest conscience, so that he expostulated with David before he obeyed. "Joab answered, Why doth my lord require this thing?" "Why will he be a cause of trespass,"-of punishment or calamity," to Israel?" God frequently punishes a people for the sins of their rulers; because they are generally partakers of their sins, in one kind or other. And the righteous Judge takes this occasion of punishing them for all their sins. In this, Joab was right, for after they were numbered, it is said, "And God was displeased with this thing." Yea, " David's heart smote