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Notice the matter of the exhortation to the godly, which is, "To seek the Lord, to seek righteousness, to seek meekness." The subjects or persons upon whom this exhortation falls. "The meek of the earth." And the motive pressing thereto. "It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." Ye shall surely be hidden from the wrath to come, and it may be from the wrath present.

I. God hath His days of anger. Take anger properly for a passion, and then there is none in God. Take anger for the effects and fruits thereof, and so it is not with God as mercy is. Yet He hath His days of anger. The more excellent a person, the sooner he is moved to anger. Now there is most excellency in God, and therefore sin being a contempt of Him, He cannot but be moved to anger. Anger is the dagger that love wears to save itself, and to hurt all that wrongs the thing loved: there is infinite love in God, and therefore there must needs be anger too. God has three houses that He puts men into: an house of instruction, an house of correction, an house of destruction. It is not in itself unlawful to be angry, only your anger must be unto reformation, as God's is. If there be wrath m God, how infinitely are our souls bound unto Jesus Christ, by whom we are delivered from the wrath to come, reconciled to God, and made friends to Him. And being friends, His very wrath and anger are our friends also.

II. IN DAYS OF ANGST, GOD IS VERY WILLING TO HIDE, SAVE, AND DEFEND HIS PEOPLE. God knows how to deliver from danger by danger, from death by death, from misery by misery. Much of the saints' preservation is put into the hand of angels. Those that hide the saints are sure to be hidden by God. Those that keep the word of God's patience, have a promise to be hidden by God. Those are sure to be hidden by God in evil times, that fear not the fears of men. And those that remain green and flourishing in their religion, notwithstanding all the ,scorching heats of opposition that do fall on them. And the "meek of the earth shall be hidden by God.

III. THOUGH GOD IS WILLING TO HIDE HIS OWN PEOPLE IN EVIL TIMES, YET HE DOTH SOMETIMES LEAVE THEM AT GREAT UNCERTAINTIES. They have more than a "may be" for their eternal salvation. But as for our temporal and outward salvation, God doth sometimes leave His people to a "may be." God loves to have His people trust to the goodness of His nature.

IV. WHEN HIS PEOPLE HAVE ONLY A ''MAY BE," IT IS THEIR DUTY TO SEEK UNTO GOD. There is no such way to establish our thoughts as to commit our ways unto God. The text points unto three things —

1. Seek the Lord Himself. not His goods, but His goodness.

2. Seek righteousness.

3. Seek truth.

V. IF ANY MAN CAN DO ANY GOOD IN THE DAY OF GOD'S ANGER, IT IS THE MEEK OF THE EARTH. Therefore the text calls on them specially to seek the Lord. The meek have the promise of the earth. The meek do most honour Christ, the way of Christ, and the Gospel. A meek person leaves his cause with God and his revenge to Him. The meek person is most fit for the service of God. Hereby, even your meekness, ye walk as becometh the Gospel, ye inherit the earth, are made like unto Jesus Christ, have a great power and credit in heaven for yourselves and others, and shall be hidden in the evil day.

(W. Bridge, M. A.)

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KJV: Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;

WEB: Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame,