Heaven and earth embracing; or, God and man approaching

Every ordinance brings us near to God; Levit. 10. 7. I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, or, in ¹my neighbours. The Priests under the Ceremonial worship, had the special honour of that Title to be called, Gods nigh ones; He caused them to come near unto him in holy services, Numb. 16. 9. Now all the Saints are, A holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, (• Pet. 2. 5.) they dwell so near to God, that they are all his neighbours. But though they always dwell near God, yet they do not always come near to God; to do so is a special work of grace, as to be so is their state of grace. Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God, must believe that God is; that is, he that prays, must believe. ⟨p. 12⟩Prayer is a coming to, and a meeting with God, Amos 4. •2. I will do thus unto thee, and because I will do thus, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. This meeting may have a double sense; it may have the sense of a challenge; and the sense of a supplication. Of a challenge, and so the Prophet doth (as it were) dare those people to whom he speaks in the Name of the Lord. The Lord will do thus unto thee, and seeing he will do so, prepare to meet thy God; muster thy forces, and gather all thy strength; harden thy heart, and set thy face against God, see how thou canst make thy part good against him. In that sense the word is used (Luk. 14. 31.) What King going to make war against another King, sitteth not down first, and considereth, whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? To meet him, is, to fight with him, to undertake him in the field: So saith the Prophet, God hath gathered his Army, he is coming against you, see now if you be able to fight a battle with him. Dare you meet him in the field? Thus it speaks a challenge. It is likewise the language of an humble supplication (so most interpret that place) seeing the Lord will do thus, O Israel, Prepare to meet thy God; put on thy mourning weeds, take up a lamentation, get thy petition ready, go forth upon thy knee, and beseech him to spare thee. So Abigail met David, when he marched with a resolution to destroy Nabal and his Family; the noble spirited woman came forth and met David; what to do? Not to contend with him, but to supplicate him,