ON THE PROMISES. GOD SPEAKING FROM MOUNT GERIZZIM, &c. &c. CHAP. I The Voice of the Herald, before the Great King. O ALL ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, come; see and hear; gather yourselves together unto the proclamation of the Great King. Hear, you that are afar off, and you that are near! He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord. Let every valley be exalted, and every mountain be made low, for the glory of the Lord is to be revealed." Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way: cast up, cast up the high-way; gather out the stones, lift up the standard for the people; for the Lord proclaimeth salvation to the ends of the earth. Tidings! tidings, O ye captives! Hear, all ye that look for salvation in Israel; behold. I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people. Blessed news! Prepare your ears and hearts! The Lord hath commanded me, saying, "Go unto the people, and sanctify them; let them wash and be ready; for the Lord is coming down upon mount Sion, in the sight of all nations; not in earthquakes and fire, not in clouds and darkness, not in thunderings or burnings, rending the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces." He speaks not to you out of blackness, and darkness, and tempests: you shall say no more, "Let not God speak to us, lest we die" He cometh peaceably; the law of kindness is in his mouth; he preacheth peace; peace ace to him that is far off, and to him that is near. Behold, how he cometh, leaping upon the mountains; he hath passed mount Ebal; no more wrath or cursing; he is come to mount Gerizzim, where he standeth to bless the people. As Mordecai to his nation, he writeth "the words of truth and peace, seeking the welfare of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed." Behold how he cometh! clothed with flames of love, with bowels of compassion, plenteous redemption,; and multiplied pardons. a Deut. xi. 29. xxvii. 12. 13. en to me. Hearken therefore, O ye children, hearkTo you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, that at what time ye hear the joyful sound, the trump of jubilee, the tidings of peace, in the voice of the everlasting gospel, you fall down before the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever. Arise, and come away; prepare, prepare you; hear not with an uncircumcised ear; you are not upon a common thing. Behold the throne is set; the throne of grace, where majesty and mercy dwell together. From thence will the Lord meet you; from thence will he commune with you; from the mercy-seat, from between the cherubims, upon the ark of the testimony. Lo, the Lord cometh out of his pavilion, the mighty God from Sion. Selah. His glory covereth the heavens, the earth is full of his praise. A fire (of love) goeth before him; mercy and truth round about him; righteousness and peace are the habitation of his throne. He rideth on his horses and charriots of salvation; the covenant of life and peace is in his mouth. Rejoice, ye heavens; make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Let the sea roar, the floods clap their hands, and the multitudes of the isles rejoice. Stand forth, the host of heaven, prepare your harps, cast down your crowns, be ready with your ( trumps; bring forth your golden phials full of odours, for our voice will jar, our strings will break, we cannot reach the note of our Maker's praise. Yet let them that dwell in the dust, arise and sing. Bear your part in this glorious service: but consider and attend. Call out your souls, and all that is within you; lift up your voices, fix your eyes, enlarge your hearts, intend all their powers; there is work for them all. Be intent and serious, you cannot strain too high. Come forth, ye graces, beset the way; be all in readiness. Stand forth, faith and hope. Flame, O love! Come, ye warm desires, and break with longing: Let fear, with all veneration, do its obeisance. Joy, prepare thy songs; call up all the daughters of musick, to salute the Lord as he passeth by. Let the generation of the saints appear, and spread the way with boughs and garments of salvation, and songs of deliverance. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God, your captains, your elders, your officers, with all the men of Israel, your little ones, your wives, and the stranger that is within thy camp, from the hewer of wood to the drawer of water, that thou shouldst enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day; b Deut. xxix. 10 to 13. |