Ah ah Doe ye think that sobs and groans will doe it Of such Libertines and profane scoffers David speaks t Psa 14.6 The Counsel of the poor afflicted ye would make abaâ—hed because Iehovah is his hope that is Ye have derided the Godly when yee heard them in affliction to call upon the Lord and would discourage them from making God their Hope by faith and prayer Indeed this strikes deep when the Enemy reproacheth our prayers Iob found it so u Job 12.4 I am as one mocked of his neighbor calling upon God And David sadly complains of it x Psa 42.3 My tears have been my meat day and night while they continually say Where is thy God Again y vers 16. As with a sword in my bones mine enemies reproach me while they dayly say unto me Where is thy God A man that hath a weapon thrust to the bone cannot bear it long he must have it forth or dyes Though it be a grievous thing to have our prayers reproach'd yet this help we have by it namely it will force us to be the more fervent and earnest with God and not to rest day nor night till there be A TIME OF FINDING We finde in Scripture that the tryumphing of the wicked hath layn very much upon the Spirits of Saints and therefore have desired a Time of finding that the Enemy might not insult z Psa 13.34 Consider and hear me O Lord lest mine enemy say I have prevayled against him and those that trouble me rejoyce Again a Psa 140.8 Grant not O Lord the desire of the wicked further not his wicked device lest they exalt themselves What is it that Apostates and other wicked men would have That Mourners in Zion might have no Time of finding And what would they do should they have their desire It is not to be uttered the wickedness they would commit The Jewes report of one presuming to enter into the Holy of Holiest and abusing the Treasure there was by the hand of God immediately smitten The prayers and groanings of Saints are no other then Choyce things in the most Holy place And therefore when men begin to deride and reproach these Holy things surely judgment is not far off I remember Hezekiahs words b Isa 37.3 This is a day of trouble and of rebuke and of blasphemy for the children are come to birth and there is not strength to bring forth What he speaketh there is our present case when the child is at the birth the woman hath her sorest travel then either death or a speedy deliverance That our Tears Prayers and Sighings are reproach'd it hath brought the Work to the Birth Ah! how Zion now travels as having her last and sharpest pangs and throws upon her Methinks I hear her cry c Luk. 8.24 Master Master we perish But fear not Zion hear what thy God speaketh d Isa 66.9 Shall I bring to birth and not cause to bring forth As the Lord by the blasphemous reproaches and scornings of the Enemy viz. Priests Lawyers and Soldiers hath brought the work to the Birth and put the sharpest pangs now upon thee so he will speedily work out thy salvation e Isa 9.7 The zeal of the Lord will perform this 2. Because the Lord knowes we are weaklings Secondly Mourners shall have a Time of finding Because the Lord f Psa 103.14 knows their frame and remembreth they are dust Things that are brittle and tender should they be roughly handled would soon break to pieces As the Lord knows we are weaklings Babes Bruised reeds and smoaking flax so g Heb. 4.15 He is touched with a feeling of our infirmities and h Isa 57.17 will not contend for ever lest our spirits should fayl before him If a father should see his child at his foot gasping for life would he not pity him and preserve him if he could from perishing i Jon. 2.7 When my Soul fainted within me said Jonah I remembred the Lord and my prayers came unto thee into thine Holy Temple And this also makes me think a time of finding is nigh Because the Name of God and the Cause of Christ lies with such weight upon the Spirits of Mourners as they are even fainting under it Poor Hagar could not indure to hear the death-groans of her child for though she had heard him awhile weep and cry for water yet when she thought he was fainting away k Gen. 21.15 16. She leaves him and goes a good way off and lifts up her voyce and wept As DEATH-GROANS are now upon travelling Zion so the Lord sees it and he will not do as Hagar did go off from her there is no need for the water is not spent in his bottle but out of his fulness he will speedily supply her by granting her a blessed time of finding If a man should hear lamentable groanings and screeches at his gate and looking out at his window should behold poor people ready to starve through cold and hunger he could not having enough by him suffer them to perish It is thus with many of Gods people at this day they lie ready to starve before the Throne of Grace either FINDING or FAINTING And will he suffer such to famish Surely he will not he cannot for his promise l Pro. 10.3 Psal 107.5 6 7. is to do otherwise Suppose a Beast carry a burden so long as through weakness it begins to sink what man would not pitie it though it be a Beast and ease him of it The BURDEN hath been so long on the Lords Little ones and the m Dan. 7.25 Horn so weared them out as poor hearts they seem almost tyr'd One cries n Psa 94.14 My foot slippeth another o Eccles 7.7 Oppression makes him mad others p Ezek. 37.11 Our bones are dried up and our hope is lost c. others q Psa 125.3 The rod of the wicked hath been so long upon them as they are ready to put forth their hands to iniquity All this God knowes to be true and he knowes r Mat. 26.41 the flesh is weak and * Ephes 6.4 Col. 3.21 Parents must not provoke ther Children lest they be discouraged But what may we gather from it Our God will suddenly come and not keep silence to save all the meek of the earth Better one man should die then the whole Nation perish Methinkes things are come to that STRAIGHT that if Christs Enemies live his faithful Friends die if their spirits fail not the others will If God do not suddenly arise for his great Name some Sobbing-hearts wil break at his foot But fear not thou Worm-Iacob Å¿ Isa 43.3 I will give men for thee saith the Lord and people for thy life He will give the Little Horn to the burning flame The Last Apostacie shall perish THE HYPOCRITE SHALL REIGN NO MORE rather then thy Spirit shall fail for
of Religion to stink among the Nations It pleased the Lord through his Grace to inable me to hold forth a publick Testimony against the Prelats but never was the great Name of God his Gospel and Kingdom so much concern'd in that Controversie I mean between the Non-conformists and Conformists as it is at this day between the Lords VVitnesses and the Second Apostacy The higher a thing is lifted up and then hurled down the more it is wrong'd and hurt thereby The Bishops never lifted â—p the work of REFORMATION in Church or State they were Professors that did it and to shew their spight to it and that they might wound it and wrong it the more when they had raised up the Good Cause of God and the interest of the Nation as high as they thought would serve their OWN TVRN down they threw it with both hands hoping it should never rise again It is but a little which I have said to that I beleeve will be said for indeed the bottome of the Apostacy will not be touch'd till things be put more home as Nathan did to David THOU ART THE MAN that is particularly to name them and to set down their falshood and treachery and what wages and hire some have had for serving the lusts of men It was a crime laid to Silicius Victoria per avaritiam faedata he discredited his victory by his Covetousness this needs little application Alas what credit have they now by opposing the Prelates doe not the people generally say and not without cause it was to have the Bishops power in their own hands and having gotten it are as insolent and proud and for covetousness a thousand times worse then they The sordid covetousness of these men caused one to deride them thus Whitlock Observ p. 358 359. Our Protestant Jesuites care not for converting the Indians that have no gold they know how to interweave the pretence of Gods interest with their own and therewith to advance all their designes Indeed these Jesuites carry not the Gospel into any beggerly Region spring a mine and then if you will set up a pulpit and shew them gold there they will barter salvation otherwise no penny no pater-noster Again Our Fishers angle for no fish but such as have money in their mouths they will only fish for such as contribute to their superfluities Bad times saith he when he that will not be a knave must be a fool Fourthly When I consider what famous testimonies the LORDS-WORTHIES have left behind them of their faithfulness and great zeal unto the glorious cause of Christ not only speaking against the corruptions and abuses of their times For had they done no more what had we known now of the Hypocrisie and Apostacy of Professors then but have left behinde them in white and black as we say Living Monuments of their Love to God and his people Truly this takes very much with me and exceedingly condemns the neglect and backwardness of this age I am thinking many times when an AFTER-GENERATION shall hear of this Second Apostacy and how far it exceeds the former in breaking Oaths Vows and Ingagements and the name of God and Religion more dishonored by Church-members and Church-Officers and other Professors then ever before in any age how strange it would be to them and admir'd if nothing should come to their hands from us as there doth to our hands from the Witnesses before us Besides I am now an old man and expect every day to lay down this earthly Tabernable it will be therefore some comfort to me whensoever my changeing coms that I have left a PUBLICK TESTIMONY against this present Apostacy as formerly I did against the other and howsoever I bless the Lord that hath kept my feet out of the SNARE of both yet this I shall leave behind me under my hand i. e. The Free Grace and Goodness of God hath more abundantly appeared towards me in preserving me a poor worm from this Last Apostacy then from the former not onely because of the two I take the Last to be the worst but because the later hath in it much more of the depths of Satan then the former had As for their jeerings and reproachful speeches I pass them by such things are not new with me the Bishops and their Creatures used them yet thus much I must say for the Bishops which I cannot say for them so far they shewed us FAIR PLAY not to imprison us nor banish us till they had told us the cause and heard what we could say for our selves yea and would seem to be very pious and charitable in taking great paines with some of us to bring us out of our errours as they cal'd it but I have found no such piety or charity with these men for I have been banished now almost two years but never to this day knew the cause of it neither hath there been any thing laid to my charge I shall not speak of the sad calamity which they have brought since upon my Family by the death of my dear wife and daughter Again for the Bishops this I may say further for many of them I think the most part when they banished any of us or cast us into prison for Non-conformity they thought they did well and did God good service in it Thus they were like Saul before his conversion they did things ignorantly in unbelief But for men to persecute the people of God for no other cause but because they reprove them for their hypocrisie and falshood and they know in their own consciences what is spoken is very true of such men we cannot have the charity which we had of the Bishops Indeed they are like Saul too but it is another Saul i. e. that Saul which persecuted David ONE who knew he did not well in it but acted against his light and conscience Fiftly But one word more to you Mourners in Zion I am very sensible that many of the Lords people have other thoughts of the TIME then I have and do think I am mistaken concerning the period of the one thousand two hundred and sixty years Indeed to know what I do in respect of so many good men dissenting from me would very much discourage me from ingaging again in the same thing but that I have more encouragement TO HOLD FAST then I think meet to express I know whom I have believed in him I trust and will trust and do know I shall not be ashamed of my hope What David prayed for is a great strengthning to me Be surety for thy Servant for good let not the proud oppress me Humbly be it spoken I do believe he will answer for me and defend me Psa 91.14 Because he hath set his love upon therefore will I deliver him Lastly I desire in the Spirit of meekness to commend these few things to all the faithful of the Land 1. Howsoever I shall discourage none but rather encourage them
this people and hence it is that prophaneness Atheism and the great contempt of God and his wayes so woefully abounds every where namely of the impudence and Bold-face of sinners as being no whit ashamed of their doings but rather glorying and priding themselves therein As the Heathen Youngman hearing of the Adulteries and other wickedness of the gods Doe they so saith he and shall I their inferior stick at it And indeed how can it be otherwise If the Leaders of the people as Magistrates and Ministers live without Conscience and commit sin without shame But others of lower Rank and condition will be encouraged to do as bad d Mat. 18.7 But woe to that man by whom the offence cometh 5. When men are Tyrants oppressors there will be no time of finding Fifthly No Time of Finding For Tyrants Oppressors and men of blood who live by thefts and murthers as ravenous beasts by prey e Jam. 2.13 Judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy A man looking into a glass what his own countenance is there the like he sees in the glass if his own be friendly chearful pleasant c. so is the other if stern and froward he sees the like To know how the Lord will look upon us in time of trouble we need goe no further then to observe with what Face we look upon other men f Psal 18.25 26. With the mercifull he will shew himself merciful with the froward he will shew himself froward g Mat. 7.1 With what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged and with what measure you mete unto others it shall be measured to you again thus the h Jer. 30.16 Isa 33.1 Devourer shall be devoured and the spoyler spoyled And so it was in the case of Pharaoh Ahab Saul Haman Herod c. they took no pity on others neither would the Lord pity them when their day came Rahab had i Josh 2.1 with chap. 6.22 a Time of finding so had k Jer. 39.17 18. Ebed-melech the Ethiopian but what were they no Persecutors of Saints no Banishers and Imprisoners of the Lords people never shewing any reason for it but on the contrary were helpful to them in their afflictions l Mic. 3.1 2 3. Hear I pray you O heads of Iacob and ye Princes of the House of Israel is it not for you to know judgment who pluck their skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones Who also eat the flesh of my people and flay their skin from off them and they break their bones and chop them in pieces as for the pot and as flesh within the cauldron But some may say what is all this we see as much as this done every day what course will the Lord take with these Tyrants m ver 4. Then shall they cry unto the Lord but he will not hear them he will even hide his face from them as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings As the fish greedy of the worm swallows the hook with it and feeling the prick in her bowels draws back and seeks to get off but cannot so Tyrants thirsting after the Blood and Treasure of the people therewith swallow down the CVRSE OF GOD and perceiving afterward they are hookt and catcht Oh what strugling is there to be loose one while by n Job 20.15 vomiting all up again otherwhile by fasting and prayer if neither will do then Moses is sent for in hast o Exod. 10 17. To intreat the Lord his God that he may take away from them this death onely But p Isa 22.14 This iniquity shall not be purged from them till they dy But the Lord hath something more against the Oppressing Rulers of Iudah why he will hide his face from them in the day of trouble q v. 10.11 They build up of Zion with Bloods and Ierusalem with iniquity the Heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for mony yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us Here are several things worth the observing 1. Between the Rulers and the Priests it seems there was a wicked combination viz. whatsoever oppression and cruelty was done by the Rulers the Priests were to justifie it and for this they were to have so much per ann as their hire either in mony or some other way Thus q Isa 5.18 They drew iniquity with a cart-rope As many threds twisted together make a strong cord so the Rulers Priests and false Prophets agreeing together could easily as with a cart-rope pluck from the people what they pleased even their skin and flesh from their bones 2. That both States viz. Civil and Ecclesiastical were now built and kept up by the ruine of the people As men using their beasts think they are not bound to give them a reason of the service they put them to so these Tyrants did what they listed neither was it for the people according to the Doctrine of the Priests to be otherwise then Beasts in submitting to the will and lusts of the Heads in every thing 3. Yet they leaned upon the Lord that is howsoever they had cast off the Power of Godliness yet kept up still the the form As a man that hath gotten scabs and ulcers upon his body will not cast off his cloathes but rather put on more and better that his sores may not be seen 4. Is not the Lord among us This seems ro be the saying of the Priests and false Prophets for their hire and mony We are under the best Government that ever was Our Heads will make us a happy people we need not fear forreign enemies neither plague famine pestilence for our Rulers are good men love the Temple and give large maintenance to the Priests 6. When ingagements and Covenants are broken and the things built again which were destroyed so that no evil can come upon us Sixthly Such will have no Time of finding Who turn with the dog to the vomit by breaking vowes and ingagements and building again what they had destroyed Å¿ Pro. 14.14 The Back-slider in heart shall be filled with his own wayes But what are his wayes Lying Treachery Self-seeking Hypocrisie as the Prodigal had nothing to fill his belly with but the husks which the swine did eat such will be the portion of Revolters from God instead of peace of conscience joy in the Holy-Ghost and sweet communion with God They shall be filled with their own wayes their Apostacy Hypocrisie and Falshood shall be meat in their bowels with this as the gall of Asps within them they shall be filled thus it was with t Mat. 27.3 4 5. Iudas The Lord by his Prophet tels Iudah u Jer. 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before him yet his mind could not be towards them this is much that the
not having A Time of Finding Thirdly 3. Because they are his friends and servants Because they are the Lords People his Iewels Servants Children and Friends t Psa 119.125 I am thy Servant saith holy David give ME understanding If another mans Childe or Servant should ask something of you you might in all reason especially if Enemies bid them go to their own Father and Master why do they come to you It is very true such as as are the servants of Antichrist and do serve the base lusts of Tyrants yea and are Tyrants themselves The Lord may justly say unto them when they Call upon him as the Prophet did to the King of Israel u 2 Kin. 3.13 What have I to do with thee Get thee to the Prophets of thy Father and to the Prophets of thy Mother So may the Lord say to REVOLTERS Why come ye now to me have ye not rejected me and cast me off in my Son Zion Cause and Kingdom broken your Vowes and Covenants with me Therefore get ye unto the Head of the Last Apostacie and the Great Whore the Head of the First Apostacie whom ye have honored more then me And it seems to me David in the Spirit foretels this very thing x Psa 18.41 They cry'd out but there was none to save unto IEHOVAH but he answered them not A Prophesie to be fulfil'd in the Last Dayes as I take it upon APOSTATE PROFESSORS But howsoever the Lord will thus deal with his enemies for their Crooked ways yet with his Friends and faithful Servants who y Luk. 22.28 continued with him in his temptations Suffered banishment imprisonment spoyling of their goods c. rather then to forsake THE GOOD OLD CAVSE These a Isa 58.9 shall call and the Lord shall answer They shall cry and he shall say Here I am b Isa 49.15 Can a Mother forget her sucking child c. If a child be crying in the streets and multitudes of people should passe by without taking notice of the child yet no sooner doth the mother hear it cry but runs to it kisseth it and carrieth him home in her bosome What though prophane people and proud carnal professors that are at ease regard not the Mourners in Zion but reproach their very sighings and groanings laugh and deride their prayers yet they have a father that hears them and c Psa 57.18 puts all their tears into his bottle and in due time d Psal 30.11 will put off their sackcloth and gird them with gladness Fourthly Because in seeking him 4. Because in seeking him they seek onely his glory they seek only his Glory As a shooter hath one eye close and with the other sees nothing save the mark at which he shoots thus it is now with the Little Remnant their eyes are shut from all Self-respects they look not upon any worldly advantage neither ask any thing of God but what may be to the glory of his Great Name If they ask health Liberty food c. it is that God may be glorified in the right improvement of them if they pray against Apostates and Covenant-breakers it is that e Isa 2.17 the Lord alone may be exalted f Phil. 1.21 To me to live is Christ and to die is gain that is so Christ may be glorified I am willing to live and if glorified I am willing to dy it is all one to me whether I live or dy so Jesus Christ by it may have glory Could a father see a child at his foot crying to him with tears that he might know his will and upon no other account then to honor him in the doing of it I say could a father see all this and not be found g 1 Cor. 4.3 For mens judgment we pass it by as a very small thing the Lord knows it is true viz. That there is a Seed of God at this day in bitterness of Soul to know what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God and for no other end then to serve the Lord and not as Turn-coats and Revolters do to serve themselves upon him The Lord was well pleased with Solomon h 1 Kin. 3.10 11. Because he asked not for himself long life nor riches nor the life of his Enemies but understanding to discern judgment that is he asked that thing whereby he might most honor God and the Lord gave him his request and more too Never had Saints more cause then now to beleeve a time of finding is nigh and that all their tears and sighings will be speedily answered seeing they go not unto the Lord as Hypocrites do i. Hos 7.14 For corn and wine and rebel against him but for this end that k Mat. 6.9 the Lords name may be hallowed But this corrupt men cannot do It is not Gods Counsel they desire to know nor his good Cause to carry on but that their own wicked devises might prosper that the Lord would give his glory to them As the rainbow never appears but is in opposition to the Sun so some men if they appear publickly or privately in fasting and prayer they are never in that side of the world where Gods Glory is but quite in opposition to it I have read of a certain Soldier having done great service for the State was bid to ask some reward for himself to which he answered For himself he would ask nothing but had a Petition for the Church and People of God I hope there is such a frame of Spirit among the Mourners every where they have layd aside their own concernments and are seeking the things of Christ and Zion if so then hold up your heads The time of finding is come Fifthly 5. Because Jesus Christ moves and intercedes for them Because the prayers of Saints are not only l Rev. 8.3 4. by Jesus Christ presented to the Father and by him made a sweet sacrifice but likewise he himself moves and intercedes in their behalf Thus Christ in Heaven is as a Favorite at Court takes our Petitions and speaks to them So saith Paul m Rom. 8.34 He is at the right hand of God making intercession for us The Text carries it that he is in Heaven with his stripes wounds blood death setting them before the eyes of his Father and all for Zion Some men after their exaltation and preferment forget their poor Brethren and old friends as Pharaohs Butler forgot Joseph but Christ doth not so we are n Son 8.6 as a seal set upon his heart there he wears us and keeps us not only for an ornament and to shew how pretious he accounts us but that we might be always in his sight and remembrance The incouragement given us to come boldly to the Throne of Grace is o Heb. 4.5 For we have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted yet
According to the Scriptures men must pray m Mar. 11.24 in faith n Jam. 5.16 with fervency and earnestness o Eph. 6.18 watching thereunto with all perseverance p Luk. 18.1 and not faint If thousands had thrown stones at Goliah and bigger then David's was and hit him too yet I question whether he had fallen but that STONE which went out of Davids sling sunk q 1 Sam. 17.49 into his forehead and he fell down dead upon the earth The Lord hath some I hope many in the Nation who are going as so many DAVIDS against the Philistine Babylon and all her Brats and Props And howsoever he is cursing them by his gods and laughs to see nothing in their hands but a sling and stone onely sighs and groanings yet let this HEAVEN-DARING GIANT know that the Little Stone which he derides faith and prayer shall within a little while sink into his forehead and the MONSTER shall fall and his flesh be given to the fowls of the ayr and to the beasts of the field r Verse 47. That all the Earth may know that there is a God in Israel I well remember in the time of the Bishops when there rose up any cruel Persecutor the good old Puritants would say one to another Come let us pray this enemy of our Lord Iesus Christ and his people to death And I could give some memorable instances what a wonderful Return of prayer they had i. e. how the revenging hand of God smote the Enemies sometimes dead immediately upon the sighings and groanings of his people against them a warning to all new Persecutors to look about them Sions children are crying day and night unto God against them and they have learnt now the Art of praying never to be silent till they have prayed them to death that is prevail'd with the Lord to execute upon them the judgment written CHAP. V. That there will be a Time of Finding because of the good Things prayed for A time of finding because of the good things prayed for WHatsoever the Lord in his word promiseth to give that we may ask and shall surely have it so saith the Apostle Å¿ 1 John 5.14 15. If we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us No child could better love a mother then Solomon loved Bathsheba and there was no reasonable thing but she might have had it of him Nevertheless when she came to speak unto him t 1 King 2.21 22. for Adonijah who had usurpt the Kingdom he not only denyed her but gave her a close reproof Though they are the Lords own people yet when they will take that boldness as to pray for Traytors and Covenant-breakers and that Hypocrites may reign and that the Lord will bless their Councels Armies Navies I tell you the Lord doth not take it well at their hands neither shall they have a time of finding * Psa 80.4 But will be angry against the prayer of his people t 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray saith Paul with the Spirit and I will pray with understanding also So in another place u Psa 14.2 If there are any that understand and seek God Intimating these must be joyn'd together viz. an understanding-seeking of God A man out of his way the faster he goes the farther off he is from the place where he should be So for men to ask things altogether contrary to the express word of God to wit for Babylon the Little Horn and bottomless Beast and that Satan may not be bound up but reign and prevayl still in his wicked and murtherous instruments surely this must needs be out of Gods way and not the way to find him but rather a great provocation Quest But do any pray for Babylon and that Satan may prevayl still in his destroying instruments I answer Most do so but under another name the Zion they pray for is indeed Babylon the Ministry and Magistracy which they cry up and call Lawful is Antichristian and sinful thus x Mal. 3.15 They call the proud happy and they that work wickedness are set up But how set up The Priests plead for them and pray for them and so make their Building strong as the Hebr. reads by y Isa 66.3 blessing an Idol If dung or trash should be presented to a Prince yet so as under the name of rich Pearls and jewels would he accept of it knowing what it is because it is brought to him not as dung but pearls of great Price a Mal. 1.14 I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and cursed be the deceiver b Isa 5.20 Wo to them that call evil good and good evil that put darkness for light c. But indeed these deceitful workers cannot deceive God men they do and their own souls likewise as they will see ere long to their bitterness and shame The good things prayed for Quest But what are the good things which the Lords people are asking according to the will of God and wait for a time of finding Answ 1. That the Lord will remember his Great Name and suffer it not any longer to lie under reproach and blasphemie but arise and shew forth his Power Faithfulness Mercy and Judgment in reviving his work in the midst of us Mat. 6.9 1 Cor. 10.31 Exod. 32.12 Num. 14.13 14. Josh 7.9 Psalm 83.17 18. Hab. 3.2 2. That Jesus Christ Heir of all things may have his right and possession That is that all corrupt powers on earth may be broken to pieces His Enemies made his Foot-stool and he alone exalted and the onely Potentate Psal 2.8 72.8 15. Dan. 2.34 35. 7.14 Luk. 19.12 Obad. 21. Rev. 11.15 17. Isa 2.11 12. c. Heb. 10.13 1 Tim. 6.14 15. 3. That Jehovah the Judge of all the earth would lift up himself and in some way or other make it publickly appear who are faithful to him and who are the Apostates which have betrayed the interest of Christ and his people Psal 94.2 1 King 18.36 37 c. 1 Sam. 14.12 Mal. 3.18 Psal 99.6.8 Num. 16.16 17. 17.5 8 9. Gen. 18.25 4. That the Lord will speedily avenge the blood of his servants shed upon Babylon and take vengeance on all Civil Powers for their oppression cruelty against the Lords servants and bring in the great day of Deliverance and Restauration to the whole Creation Psal 74.2 18 22. Jer. 51.35 Deut. 32.35 41 43. Psal 94.1 Jer. 50.15 Isa 34.4 5. 47 34. Luk. 18.7 8. Rev. 18.5 Act. 3.21 Rom. 8.19 20 21. 5. That the Lord c Haâ— 3.2 in wrath will remember mercie 1. In finding out and punishing ACHANS and TROVBLERS that none innocent may suffer for the rebellion and Apostacie of others Num. 16.22 Josh 7.24 25. Gen. 18.23 24. Psal 125.4 5. Isa 3.10 11. 33.14 15. c. Psal 32.6 7. 2. That the Lord will be merciful to his people in BABYLON as
as if they saw Death Hell and Judgment and all ready to take hold of them VVhen news was brought unto Lewis of the death of his Mother perceiving by the countenance of the messengers that they were ready to tell him something that would afflict his heart Let me pray first saith he and then speak what ye have to say A man may be sure it is a time of finding when he can experience not onely present fears remov'd but his spirit brought up into such a gracious frame as he can quietly hear any thing without dishonouring God through murmuring and sinful passions either in his thoughts speech or action Secondly It is a time of finding 2. It is a time of finding when the Spirit faints not but is kept lively up in the duty of seeking when the Lords people faint not in their SEEKING but are kept up and have life and power given them to persist and persevere to the end As fresh Oyl poured often into the Lamp preserves the light from going out so their groanings and cries cease not day nor night through fresh supplies of the Spirit o Isa 40.29 30 31. He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint The meaning is whereas proud Hypocries p Psa 20.8 33.16 52.7 trusting to their own strength power parts gifts lose what they have and make Ship-wrack of all On the other side such as are poor and q 1 Cor. 1.27 28. despised things of the world r 2 Cor. 12.9 God makes his power to appear in their weakness For though Å¿ Joh. 15.5 of themselves they can do nothing yet he enables them t Phil. 4.13 to do any thing And when they seem u 2 Cor. 8 9 utterly spent they have a new supply of strength to enable them to bear up and hold out and thus x Phil. 1.6 he perfecteth the good work begun in them And indeed this is a gracious return of prayer when the soul is not onely strengthened and enabled to hold out but is sweetly raised and enlarged in the work Though we have not the thing we ask yet if we can sigh more and weep more for it then we did Here is a time of finding yea such a FINDING as it is much better sometimes to be kept up by fresh supplies of the Spirit in sighs and tears then to have presently what is ask'd As the Husbandman the more seed he sows the larger is his Crop at harvest Doth the Lord keep thee sowing in tears doth he supply thee with precious seed Oh it is a blessing of blessings thy reaping y Gal. 6.9.10 in due season shall be accordingly I know Satan and Hypocrites are ready to reproach us with the little profit we have by our mournings You have been say they these three or four years in tears nothing but sighing crying out against Self-seekers Oppressors Covenant-breakers but what hearing-time have ye had a Mal. 3.14 What profit is it that ye have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts To this we answer Whereas we have not fainted but have been kept up in the work all this time yea have had such fresh springs of encouragement and enlargement that our tears and sighing the last to be more then the first Hence we are satisfied that the ears of the Lord of Sabboth have been open to our prayers Many and great were the discouragements which b Mat. 15.21 22. c. the woman of Canaan met with when she besought Christ for her daughter 1. Christ goes away from her as if he would not hear her when she had followed him and gotten a word from him what was it truly a hard saying He is not sent unto such as she Well she faints not neither is weary but continues her cry Lord Lord have mercy upon me VVhat follows next that her request was unseemly unreasonable viz. To cast Childrens bread to Dogs A man would think whilst Christ carried himself thus towards her it was no time of finding whereas in truth she found him all the while I say all this time that these discouragements and temptations lay upon her it was A TIME OF FINDING But you will say How I answer both in keeping up her soul that she fainted not and in making way for the discovery of that great faith which he gave her So that it was better for the woman that she was defer'd a while and strengthened in the work then to have had her request sooner granted To you therefore my Brethren and Companions in Tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ this I would humbly send to you whereas the Lord hath strengthned you in mourning and crying against the Abominations of the last Apostacie it is not onely matter of comfort to assure you that there hath been a time of finding but also and note it well there is a blessing in it and much divine love Oh it is love indeed unspeakable when the Lord draws from us abundance of tears and groans and enables us to wait long before he gives the blessing A word likewise to our DISSENTING-BRETHREN whose mourning of late is turned into laughter and their heaviness to joy Josephs afflictions are no more remembred neither the oppression and cry of the poor and needy c Eccl. 7.4 Their heart is not now in the house of mourning but in the house of mirth As if they were placed in the earth as Leviathan in the Sea only to take their sport and pastime therein Here lies the difference between you and your Brethren you laugh and are more merry then you used to be because of the advantages you have by these corrupt times whereas your poor Brethren are more in tears and in bitterness of Soul these 3. or 4. yeers then they us'd to be for the great dishonor scandal and reproach which you have brought to the name of God and profession of Religion by assisting and justifying of mens INTEREST against the interest of Christ and his people hear what the Lord saith to both d Luk. 6.21 Blessed are ye that weep NOW for ye shall laugh e Ver. 25. Woe unto you that laugh NOW for ye shall mourn and weep 3. A time of finding when Saints rest fully satisfied in the things they ask Thirdly When Mourners have such a return of prayer as they rest fully satisfied therein My meaning is the Lord perswades their hearts that he will so answer the travel of their Souls as all things shall work together to his Glory and their comfort and content and thus had Paul a time of finding when the Lord told
the Woman must be n Rev. 12.6 in the wilderness 1260 dayes and o Rev. 13.5 ' Power was given to the Beast to continue 42. Moneths Both these Numbers signifying indeed all one time do end in the aforesaid yeare 1657. This humblie do I conceive I know what will be here objected If this were so we should see some change as either to the rising of the witnesses or fear among the enemies or something done upon Babylon But things stand as they did before The Dragon Beast Little Horne both Apostacies as Rampant as ever yea rather of late grown greater are at the rising hand than otherwise Ans This being a hard knot I trust the Lord will the more help me to unty it so to take this Stumbling block out of the way of his people 1. I would say as the Lord said to Job p Job 28.22.28 29. Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow or hast thou seen the treasures of the haile Hath the rain a father or who hath begotten the drops of dew out of whose womb came the ice and the hoarie frost of Heaven who hath gendered it Hath the Lord a Treasure for snow and hail a Father to beget the rain and drops of dew and a womb wherein the ice hoarie frost are gendered and afterwards brings them forth as he thinks good to use and spend them Then much more a Treasure a Father a Wombe for higher things greater workes wherein his name glory kingdom people are especially concernd Is not this laid up in store with me Deu. 32.34 and sealed up among my treasures Again though it may not be questioned But q Isa 48.14 The Lord will do all his pleasure upon Babylon Nothing shall faile of his threatnings against the Dragon Beast Little Hornet Yet the ordering managing and governing thereof that only and wholly belongeth to him both when to begin and how to do it Hence I humbly conceive if we should see nothing done in the year 1657. as to the rising of the Witnesses or ruine of the Bottomlesse Beast and last Apostacie It will not therefore follow that the 1260. Yeares ended not in that year No more reason Then because the Childe is not Born Ergo not conceived in the womb 2. Christs words must be remembred r Luke 17.20 The Kingdome of God cometh not with observation that is not in such manner at first that it can be taken notice of by things done Observe it is not said the kingdome shall have no Observation But Cometh not Shewing how at first little will be seen to demonstrate that such a kingdome is come But afterward it shall be visible and plain enough to be observ'd And to this purpose speakes the Prophet Å¿ Isa 26.11 Lord though thy hand be lifted up yet they see it not But they shall see it This was the great Stumbling block which lay in the way of the Jewes when Christ came in the flesh Because he came not as they exspected before hand as it is in the comming of worldly Princes in great state and outward Pomp they would not believe in him nor receive him for the true Mesias And why may not the like be the Case of people now Because they see not as they expected WONDERS in 57. Some extraordinary power and presence of God with his people and great overturnings and breakings of Nations hence conclude it was not the Time of the End But let such know the Scripture favours no such Conclusion Question But shall the forty two moneths given to the beast end without observation Answ Howsoever immediately upon the period of the 1260. yeares there will not be I think actions of much Observation either in respect of Zion or Babilon yet the Time of the End cometh not without Observation some other way For 1. The serious Observation of the Prophesies and Visions of the holy Scriptures relating to the last dayes will lead a heart if it hath nothing in it but truth and uprightnesse and the glory of God to the knowledge of the Times 2. There is the Observation of the Spirit u 1 Joh. 2 20 The unction from the holy one and here we do observe how the Holy Ghost opens our understanding and not onely so but those great things which he reveals to his Babes and Sucklings he confirms them therein whiles they are in tears and weeping before the Throne 3. The Observation of Providence which hath brought â—orth the Persons and Things which were according to the Prophesies of the Scripture to finish and end the 1260. years But 3. Did not some men do like one who whiles he is striving to have a great gripe comes off with nothing in his hand They might see that 57. hath not altogether been without OBSERVATION For howsoever x Psal 36.6 Gods judgements are a great deep y Rom. 11.33 and unsearchable a Rev. 15.3 Great and marvellous are his workes b Ps 77.19 and his footsteps not known I say howsoever his Counsel Government Administrations and the manner of proceeding is beyond all searching into yet if matters soberly be considred by wisedomes Eye Fifty seaven hath shewed c Ps 86.17 some token for good and that d Is 63.3 the day of the Lords redeemed is come e Isa 34.8 ' and the year of recompences for the controversie of Zion For 1. VVhat may be meant by that Government which was set up December 16. 1653. and laid aside again June 26. 1657. It stood f Dan. 7.25 a Time and Times and the dividing of Times that is three years and an half almost to a day Oh the depth of Gods wayes Ashur shall fulfill his decree and counsel g Isa 10.7 Howbeit he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so 2. VVhat things have been done and how mannaged and what success hath followed in 57. it is so well known to many mens cost as I need not mention it But what may we gather hence I mean from the Lords Acting and appearing already against some men That the National affairs in their hands is like the Fig-tree under the curse h Mat. 21 19. Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth for ever 3. VVhen Agag thought i Sam. 15.32 the bitterness of death was past then came sudden destruction upon him Fifty seaven is not yet ended k Prov. 27 1. Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Though the man-child in June were but l Job 10.10 poured out as milk and curdled like cheese to use the holy language yet who knows what in nine Moneths the womb of Providence may bring forth m Luk. 12.19.20 VVhilst the FOOL is thinking of building his Barnes greater death ceaseth on him n Act. 1 25. That he might go to his own place 4. VVhen Caleb encouraged his brethren to fight the Canaanites He