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
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
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
help saith David Therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce That the Lord heard us in the late wars and was found c Gen. 22.14 JEHOVAH-JIREH a God seen in the mount We can pray now against all the Hypocritical enemies of his Cause and Kingdom more earnestly d Jam. 1.6 In faith nothing wavering which is greatly to his Glory The bramble would have e Judg. 9.15 all the trees put their trust in his shadow Indeed Tyrants would be trusted though there be neither trust nor Truth in them I have read the story how Dominique dreamt the Church of Rome was falling and that he upheld it with his shoulders Have we never heard the like fable In what sore distress the Church and State were both ready to split had not a Minion Idol been devis'd like Dominique's shoulders to keep them up The Tryers probably will apply this because it is like that Shameful thing for all the world But to proceed Did not David very much honor the Lord by trusting in him when he went forth against Goliah But what caused David by beleeving to doe so he tels you f 1 Sam. 17.37 The Lord that delivered me out of the Paw of the Lyon and out of the paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine I know there were many complaints and heart-groans poured out against the King and Bishops for their Tyranny and Idolatry but this I can truly say For twenty years and more in which I suffered under them the Lord did not draw out my heart to so much mourning and sighings as I have done within these three or four years against the GREAT BETRAYERS of the interest of Christ and his people And this I finde as a burning fire shut up in my bones that I cannot hold my peace day nor night Besides Howsoever I am a poor worm and the least in my Father's house yet herein I can give glory to God I do beleeve the Lord that delivered his afflicted people out of the paw of the Lyon and out of the paw of the Bear King and Bishops he will deliver them from all PROVD PHILISTIMS that defie the Israel of God yea and that speedily Fifthly 5. Do him more work and better service Times of finding ingage the Lords people to do him more work and better service afterwards If Beasts the larger allowance they have will doe their master the more service Surely then the better Christ is to his children the more they will strive to doe his will in every thing g Psa 116.8 9. Thou hast delivered my Soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling I will walk on before the Lord in the land of the living That is Seeing I have had a Time of finding I will so improve this great mercy as the Lord shall have much glory and honor by it Methinks it is at this day with some honest hearts as it was with the h Mat. 20.3 4. Laborers which stood idle in the market-place Should they be askt why they are not at work What would they say We are calling upon the Lord for imployment we would willingly be at work for it grieves our very Souls to stand thus idle Now hath not a master more profit that his servants are at work then standing still When the Great TIME OF FINDING comes then will Zions children be at work indeed for now they may be said to be idle comparatively to their work THEN Then some shall be the i Rev. 14.6 Angel To preach the Everlasting Gospel Others the k Rev. 15.1 Angels to pour out the seven last plagues Some l Psa 149.8 to bind their Kings in chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron Others m Rev. 18.5 to execute vengeance upon Babylon Come Lord Jesus When the Lord made use of Moses and Aaron to pour out vials full of wrath upon Pharaoh and Egypt and of Elias to destroy the Prophets of Baal and of Ioshua to cast out the Canaanites Was he not in those things very much glorified If so then much more when he shall answer the prayers of his people concerning his Son and Zion and the destruction of Babylon and all Tyrants Which is better and more for the honor of a King that Theeves Murderers and Rebels do spoyl and destroy the good people or to be taken and punished What is it that Saints pray for and desire a Time of finding Truly this That Hypocrites and Apostates n Psa 104 35. be consum'd out of the earth and bloody Tyrants be no more That o Rev. 11.15 all the Kingdoms of the world may be Christs p Eze. 21 27 whose right it is And in order hereunto they are to ready to follow the Lamb in his work wheresoever he shall lead them But howsoever some men by Times of finding are the better yet many are the worse Here Jesus Christ may say r Psa 109.4 For my Love they are my Adversaries That is for the Deliverances Victories Preferments which I gave them I am the more wrong'd by them in my Great Name Cause and Kingdom And truly I think never a generation of men more sinn'd against kindness then some of this generation * Isa 1.2 Hear ye Heavens and give ear O Earth for the Lord speaketh I have nourished and brought up or made great and exalted children but they have revolted from me It is a pitiful fight to see a poor Bird kill'd with the feathers pluckt from her They are not only contented to feather their nest with the interest of Christ and his people but with those feathers i. e. power places Offices and preferment which they have pluckt from it shoot at her and murder her most unworthily * Deut. 32.6 Doe ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is all forgotten What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me Psal 116.12 CHAP. IIII. Reasons Why there will be a Time of Finding in respect of Gods people Reasons in respect of mourners 1. Of the revilings of the proud First BEcause of the scornings and revilings of the proud as reproaching the Godly for their mourning and tears Had not the Lord been found of Hezekiah he had not been able in a little while to have born Rabshakehs and Sennacheribs blasphemies That which caused Hannah to be in bitterness of Soul before the Lord and no doubt moved the Lord to take pity on her it was the extream Å¿ 1 Sam. 1.6 provoking of her adversary for to make her fret because the Lord had shut up her womb Our Adversaries are fallen upon Rabshakehs work and seek to provoke us by the like scornful reproaches Where is the fruit say they of your tears and cries You may see the Lord cares not for your weeping fasting and praying did he regard them he would have helpt you ere now
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