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quakes, which have fwept away great Multitudes of Men with a fwift and fudden Deftruction; when we are told that they have extended to vaftly diftant Parts of the World; that Nations near us have felt the Effects of them to a most dreadful Degree, and that our own Island has already in fome Meafure been affected by them, it deeply concerns us to make the best Preparation we can for a Trial, of which we have fo much Reason to be apprehenfive; and which, if it fhould befal us, may plunge us into Eternity in a Moment. It will be our Wisdom and our Happiness to be frequent and earnest in our Prayers to almighty God, to examine our paft Lives and the prefent State of our Souls, to fhew the Sincerity of our Repentance by a thorough Amendment of Life, and to keep ourfelves ready for that awful Account, to which we know not how foon we may be called. This will be a certain Method of fecuring ourselves from the worst Effects of any fuch calamitous

Event

Event, though it fhould come upon us: But Revelation has encouraged us to hope, that by a timely Application to the Duties of Religion, we may fave ourselves even from the temporal Suf-. fering with which we are threatened.

We have the cleareft Evidence from. Scripture, that almighty God, when he made the World, and appointed the Courfe of Nature, did not preclude himfelf from working fuch Changes in them as might at any Time anfwer the Defigns of his Juftice, or his Merey, in regard to Mankind. We are there told, that he has actually wrought fuch Changes in them for the Punishment of wicked Men; and that not only in his Dealings with the Jews, his peculiar People, but with others alfo. The Account given us of Noah's Flood is alone a full Confirmation of the Point, as it fhews that the Effects of his Vengeance have extended to all the Nations under Heaven. On the other Hand, the Inftance of God's Mercy to the Inhabitants of Nineveh may well give

us

us Hope of averting his temporal Judgements, if we follow the Example of their Humiliation and Repentance: For who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce Anger, that we perish not * ?

But befide the Hope which the Scriptures afford us of preventing a national Calamity by a general Repentance and Reformation, they farther encourage the penitent Sinner to truft in the divine Goodnefs for his own perfonal Safety (if God fees that his Continuance in Life will be an Advantage to him) though the Judgements threatened fhould fall upon the Community to which he belongs. Without enlarging upon the Subject, I fhall propofe one Text from the New Testament, which may direct our Judgement in this Particular: Are not two Sparrows fold for a Farthing? (fays our bleffed Saviour) and one of them shall not fall on the Ground without your Favery Hairs of your Head

ther.

But the

Jonah, Ch. iii. V. 9.

are

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are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more Value than many Sparrows, Matth. Ch. x. Ver. 29, 30, 31. Let any Perfon confider what is here faid of the Attention fhewn by almighty God to every thing that may endanger the Life of a fimple Bird, and of the fuperior Importance of Man, and judge whether a Calamity which destroys the Life of Thoufands of Men, and puts an End to their State of Probation, can be effected merely by Chance, or a blind. Concurrence of natural Caufes. If not, we have the strongest Reason to caft ourselves on the Providence of God, and to use our utmoft Endeavours to procure ourselves a Share in his Favour and Protection, who can govern and direct the alarming Changes which have begun to appear in the material World,, in all their Circumftances, and in all their Confequences; can either Stop their Progrefs, or remove us out of the Reach of their Violence when they happen; and who will most certainly (if we do our Duty) either fave us from Death, or make it a Step to our everZafting Happiness.

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I.

A Prayer to be used by a private Perfon or by a Family.

Almighty God, Maker and Governor of Heaven and Earth, have Mercy on the whole Race of Mankind; and grant that the Ruin which thou haft brought upon the World by Earthquakes and Floods may awaken us all to a Senfe of our Danger, and make us deeply and earneftly repent of thofe Sins which have moft justly provoked thy Wrath and Indignation against us. Glory be to thee for thy Goodness to thofe of this Nation and Place, in allowing us Time for Repentance; O let us not increase our Guilt by neglecting to use it, but work in us all fuch a Regard to thy Laws, as may prevent the Continuance

of