the Time of Finding, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Certain grounds and reaſons, wherefore there will be A TIME OF FINDING. 1. In reſpect of God himſelf. 2. In reſpect of his people. 3. In reſpect of the Cauſe, or, Things they ſeek him for.
Reaſons why there will be a time of finding, both in reſpect of God, his people and Cauſe. 1. In reſpect … himſelf: Becauſe he is good, and his tender mercies are f… ever.THe Lord will be found in reſpec… of himſelf: Firſt, Becauſe he i… good, and his mercy endureth for ever: pPſa. 25.6Remember O Lord (ſaith David) thy tender mercies, and thy loving kindneſſes, for they have been ever of old. You cannot touch a man ſo ſoft and eaſie upon the apple of his eye, but he will feel it: What are the tears, groanings, and ſighings of Saints, but as the touch of a finger upon the apple of Gods eyes? there is nothing we can doe, whereof the Lord is more ſenſible and hath more feeling, then of Soul-travelling ſobs and pangs. It is uſual in the Prophets, when they are exhorting people, to ſeek the Lord by faſting and prayer, for their encouragement to mention how pitiful and full of bowels the Lord is:qJoel. 2.12, 13. Turn ye unto me (ſaith the Lord) with all your hearts, & with faſting, and with weeping, & with mourning; & rent your hearts & not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God. Now obſerve the reaſon or motive to it: For he is gracious and merciful, ſlow to anger, and of great kindneſs, and repenteth him of the evil: As if he ſhould ſay,r2 Sam. 24 14. You fall not into the hand of man, but into the hands of the Lord, whoſe mercies are exceeding great, and willſPſal. 103.13. pity you as a father pitieth his children. So in another Prophet,*Mic. 7.18 19. Who is a God like unto thee? that pardoneth iniquity, and paſſeth by the tranſgreſſion of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, becauſe he delighteth in mercy: he will turn again, and have compaſſion upon us, &c. Note one paſſage here, He delighteth in mercy: If it be a thing a man well likes, and takes great pleaſure in it, you need not preſs him very much to it, he will be free and forward enough of himſelf to doe it for you. It is true, when the Lord is to afflict his people, here he ſeems to betLam. 3.33 ƲNWILLING, it is not from his heart, (as the Hebrew reads) he delights not in it; but it cauſeth him to fetch a groan or ſigh:uIſa. 1.24 Ah! woe is me!xHoſ. 6.4. & 11.8. How ſhall I give thee up? my heart is turned within me, &c. But to be found of his children, and to heap bleſſings upon them, here is his delight, in this his Soul is well pleaſed.
yPſa. 12.5.For the oppreſſion of the poor, for the ſighing of the needy, now will I ariſe, ſaith the Lord. If you mark the word (NOW) it makes the ſence thus: As if the Lord ſhould ſay, I cannot ſee my oppreſſed ones in tears any longer before me; my bowels ſo yearn at their groanings, that I muſt forthwith ariſe againſt their proud and cruel enemies. If men who are evil, having pity and compaſſion in them, cannot but regard the ſighs and cries of poor diſtreſſed creatures, and their hearts will be drawn out to relieve them:aLuk. 18.7, 8. And ſhall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him? I tell you, that he will avenge them ſpeedily.
It was a proverb among thoſe of Genoa, when any was injured, to ſay unto him that had done the wrong; If you will not right me, my Lord Marſhal will: with more certainty may Chriſts perſecuted members ſay to Tyrants, and proud Hypocrites, Whereas we are impriſoned by you, and ſpoyled of our goods; our God will right us (though you do not) to your confuſion. If Benhadab had ground of hope that Ahab would ſhew him favor, becauſe,b1 King. 20.31. The Kings of the houſe of Iſrael were merciful Kings: with what full aſſurance then may the preſent mourners in Zion expect a Time of finding? he being the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, unto whom they make ſupplications and prayers.
Secondly, The Lord will be found, becauſe of his word and promiſe ſake. Reaſ. 2. He wil be found for his promiſe ſake.Among men there are ſome who will not break their promiſe for any thing: Ruth having told her mother in law what Boaz had promiſed to do for her, what ſaith Naomi to it?cRut. 3.18 Sit ſtill my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in reſt, until he have finiſhed the thing this day. Is there ſo much heed and conſcience in man (a poor worm) to be faithful to his ingagement? what may we think of God,dTit. 1.2. That cannot lie: eJam. 1.17with whom is no variableneſs, neither ſhadow of turning; but alwayes ſpeaketh in faithfulneſs and truth? Now we read in Holy Scripture, that the Lord promiſeth there ſhall be a TIME OF FINDING. (fPſa. 50.15 Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will deliver thee. Obſerve how he ſpeaks here like himſelf; like a God, as one that hath all power in his hands, and can doe whatſoever he pleaſeth: I WILL DELIVER THEE. If a poor man come to us for relief, ſuch may his caſe be, as we cannot promiſe to help him, but tell him we will do our beſt, and help him if we can: But the Lord ſpeaks not by iffs and may be, but promiſeth certain deliverance:gMat. 8.3. I will, be thou clean.
The like in Iſaiah hIſa. 45.19I ſaid not to the ſeed of Iacob, Seek ye me in vain; I the Lord ſpeak righteouſneſs, I declare things that are right. Suppoſe a beggar ſhould have an ingagement under the hand of a King, wherein he promiſeth to do ſo and ſo for him; it were no preſumption in this poor man, having acceſs to the Prince, if he ſhould mention it, & ſhew it to him, & humbly deſire the performance of it: neither would the other (though a King) be offended at it, but bid him reſt content, for he would not be worſe then his word. Though the diſproportion is far greater between the Creator and the Creature, then between the greateſt Monarch of the world, and the pooreſt beggar on earth; yet have the Lords people many times remembred him of his promiſe, and ſpread it before his face, and beſought him earneſtly to look thereon, and not forget it: Thus did Moſes: Exod. 32 13.(i) Remember Abraham, Iſaac and Iſrael thy ſervants, to whom thou ſwareſt by thine own ſelf, &c. So David: kPſal. 119.49.Remember thy word unto thy ſervant, upon which thou haſt cauſed me to hope. And Solomon likewiſe,l1 Kin. 8.25, 26. Therefore now, O Lord God of Iſrael, keep with thy ſervant David my Father that thou promiſeſt him. Again, Let thy word I pray thee be verified, which thou ſpakeſt unto thy ſervant David my Father. So Jeremie, mJer. 14.21.Remember, break not thy Covenant.
Neither was the Lord offended with them, that they did put him thus in remembrance; much leſs did he anſwer them as ſome men uſe to do, when they are minded of their Oaths, Vows, and Solemn Appeals to God, that they would do ſuch and ſuch things for Chriſt and his people, and the good of the Nations; Ho, ſay they, Thoſe Promiſes and ingagements were but pro Tempore, that is, (as their practice ſhews) they never meant to keep their word, but as it ſhould make for their own intereſt and advantage. But our GodnPſa. 5.6. abhorreth ſuch deceitful men, and all ſuch execrable Hypocriſie. ForoMal. 3.6. He changeth not: p2 Cor. 1.20All his promiſes are yea, and Amen: Yea, ſo far is the Lord from breaking Covenant, that he hears the cryes and prayers of his people for his promiſe ſake.qExo. 2.24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembred his Covenant with Abraham, with Iſaak, and with Jacob. So a little after,rChap. 6.5. I have heard the groaning of the children of Iſrael, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembred my Covenant. When Doves ſigh and mourn in clifts and ſecret holes, it doth preſage (ſay they) that deſtruction is nigh the Birds of prey: not to ſpeak of Pharaoh, Haman, Herod; a little before the fall of the Biſhops and the King, the Lord's hidden ones were in bitterneſs of Soul, and poured out mournful complaints day and night againſt their perſecutors: but much more have they ſighed and groaned before the Lord, ſince this ſad Revolt broke forth, in regard of the ſcandal and reproach brought to the Goſpel by it: And what doth this ſignifie? That the Lord will ſuddenly take away this image of jealouſie, and revive his work in the midſt of the Nations. But to proceed.
That the Lord forgets not what he promiſed, might be ſhewed in many other places:ſPſal. 105.8. He hath remembred his Covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thouſand Generations. And in the ſame Pſalm,tver. 42. He remembred his holy promiſe, and Abraham his ſervant: Again,uPſa. 106 44, 45. Nevertheleſs, he regarded their afflictions, when he heard their cry; and he remembred for them his Covenant. See 2 Sam. 7.21. Here we may not omit how far the Lords wayes, and ſome mens ways are unlike; the Lord takes it well to be*1 Chron. 17.23. remembred of his Covenant and promiſes, and would have his children to mention them before him: whereas you cannot more grieve and vex certain NEW LORDS, then to tell them of their ingagements; ſhould any but ſhew them the Oaths and Vows publiſhed under their hands, what they proteſted in ſuch a yeer, at ſuch a place, for the intereſt of Chriſt and his people; their aſſeverations and imprecations, the curſes and judgments they wiſh'd to light upon themſelves and poſterity, if they did not ſuch things; add hereunto their frequent tears, hands laid on their breaſts, and eyes lifted up to Heaven, calling God to witneſs, as to the plainneſs and ſingleneſs of their hearts: ſhould this (I ſay) be told them, what would they ſay?x2 Kin. 11 14. Treaſon, Treaſon, y1 Kin. 22 27.Put this fellow into priſon, &c. In all the reign of Caligula, if a man did but name a Goat, it was a crime (of Laeſae Majeſtatis) againſt the Imperial perſon; this was of his hairy body. A very ſtrange thing, that a man could not ſay Goat, but he muſt mean the Emperor. Can you ſay, Covenant-breaker, ſelf-ſeeker, deceiver of the people, but the Lawyer cryes out,yLuk. 11.45. Maſter, thus ſaying, thou reproacheſt us alſo?
Thirdly, It muſt needs be, That there will be A TIME OF FINDING,3. Becauſe the Lord will be honored many wayes by it. becauſe the Lord hereby will be honored and glorified many ways. There is nothing that a man will ſooner regard and hearken to, then when his own profit and advantage is propounded. To ſpeak ſoberly, and no more but what the Scriptures hold forth; It is good for the Lord himſelf, That there be a time of finding.
Queſt. What Good hath the Lord by it?
Anſw. 1. By this means the Saints will bleſs him, and the high prayſes of God will be in their mouth. Now aBy ha…ing the …igh pray…s of his …eople. Pſa. 50.3.whoſo offereth praiſe, glorifies him. Was not the Lord glorified, when he anſwered the groanings of his people in Egypt, plagued the Egyptians, and deſtroyed Pharaoh, and his hoſt in the Red Sea? bExod. 15.…, — 11.Then ſang Moſes and the children of Iſrael this ſong unto Jehovah, &c. Who is like unto thee O Jehovah among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holineſs, fearful in praiſes, doing wonders! When Babylon ſhall lie under wrath,dRev. 18.… 1. ſunk like a great milſtone caſt into the Sea, and ſhall be found no more at all; What immediatefollows?dRev. 19.1 I heard a great voyce of much people in Heaven, ſaying, Hallelujah, Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power unto the Lord our God: ever. 3.And again they ſaid, HALLELƲ JAH: and a little after, anotherfver. 6. great multitude, ſaying, HALLELUJAH, for the Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth.
As when a judge hath done ſome notable and eminent act of juſtice upon a notorious offender, he is highly commended for it: ſo will the Lord have unſpeakable praiſe from his people every where, when he hath judged the Great Whore, deſtroyed the falſe Church, Miniſtery, Worſhip and Government, pluckt her up root and branch with all her props and Lovers, HALLELƲ-JAH, and again, HALLELƲ-IAH. What doth the Lord at preſent hear and ſee among the Antichriſtians? But Blaſphemy, rayling, lying, murthers, ſorceries, &c. nothing in truth, but what tends to the diſhonor of his Great Name: but were the whole Kingdome of the Beaſt deſtroyed, then would the Lord have glory and prayſe, for being found of his people. What man would not have a filthy ſtink remov'd, that a ſweet perſume might be in the place thereof? ſo long as Hypocrites reign, and Tyrants rule the Nations, their ſins like dung will ſtink in the noſtrils of the Lord; but when they are removed, he will ſmell a ſweet ſavor of praiſe and thankſgiving.
Beſides, the Saints do often uſe it in prayer, as an argument for a time of finding, namely, the praiſes he ſhall have of them:gPſa. 9.13 4. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, conſider my trouble, &c. That I may ſhew forth all thy prayſe in the gates of the daughters of Zion. Again,hPſal. 79.11, 12, 13. Let the ſighing of the priſoner come before thee, &c. Preſerve thoſe that are appointed to dy, and render to our neighbors ſeven fold into their boſome, &c. So we thy people and ſheep of thy paſture, will give thee thanks for ever, we will ſhew forth thy praiſe to all Generations. So then, do any deſire to know, why the Lords little remnant at this day are ſo earneſt in prayer againſt the enemies of Gods glory? Why they would have the iIſa. 33.14.ſinners in Zion afrayd, and fearfulneſs to ſurpriſe the Hypocrites? That ſuch askPſa. 125.5. are turned aſide to their crooked ways, may have their faces filled with ſhame, and confounded in all their counſels and deſigns? It is for this end, that the Lord alone may have prayſe. It is reported of Nero, when he had baniſhed any good Commonwealths men, or put them to death, he would keep a day of thanksgiving; that is, thank his gods for his great deliverance. It is true, the faithful doe abhor ſuch kind of thanksgiving, and leave Nero's exſample to be follow'd by corrupt men and ſuch as he was. They dare not prayſe God, becauſe Hypocrites reign; but on the contrary, when they ſee the Lord doth puniſh them, for their wickedneſs, then they will praiſe him with their whole heart.
But, 2.2. Becauſe of his great Name. Should Saints forget their duty of thanksgiving, yet would the Lord be a Gainer, that there is a time of finding, in reſpect of his great Name. lJoſh. 7.9.What wilt thou do (ſaith Joſhua) unto thy great Name! So Moſes mExod. 32.12.Wherefore ſhould the Egyptians ſpeak, and ſay, For miſchief did he bring them out! That is, though thou haſt matter enough againſt this people, to conſume them as one man, and to withdraw thy preſence from them, yet remember thine own Concernments; to wit, how deeply thy Glory, Power and Faithfulneſs will ſuffer, if thou appear not again for them. When Hanun the ſon of Nahaſh had moſt unworthilyn2 Sam. 10 4. abuſed Davids Meſſengers, it was David principally that was wronged; neither could he in point of honor and juſtice put it up, without taking ſevere revenge upon the enemy for it. It is Jeſus Chriſt, who at this day is the greateſt ſufferer, in his Cauſe, Name and Kingdom; and therefore ſhould he not in judgment come forth againſt the deſpiteful abuſers of him, what would become of his Glory? would not an evil and adulterous generation conclude,oEze. 8.12 & 9.9 Iſa. 29.18. The Lord ſees them not, neither regards he good or evil?
When the Iſraelites were in great diſtreſs at the Red-Sea, pExod 14.15.Moſes cryed unto the Lord: It is true, they had then a time of finding, but why was it?qPſa. 106.8 He ſaved them for his Name ſake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. There is much comfort in the words, if well conſidered. Many honeſt hearts looking on their tears, ſighs, and groans, are diſcouraged, to think what poor and weak things they are; what is all our weeping (ſay they) and mourning before the Lord? Shall we have a Time of finding for ſuch low things? Do you ſtick here (pretious ones?) But conſider, there is more in the Lords eye (why he will be found of his people) then their cryes and tears; he will hear them, for his Name ſake, that his Power, Juſtice, Mercy, Faithfulneſs, &c. may be known. So then, though you ſhould queſtion whether the Lord, in regard of your poor prayers and groanings, will ariſe againſt Evil doers; yet methinks it is not poſſible you ſhould doubt, but he will doe itrNeh. 9.31. 1 Kin. 8.41 Jer. 14.7, 21. FOR HIS NAME SAKE.
ſPſa. 115.1Not unto us Iehovah, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the glory; for thy mercy, for thy truth. I cannot but think we are nigh THE TIME OF FINDING, becauſe Chriſts little flock have Gods glory ſo much upon their hearts. As a ſervant in the field ſowing ſeed, he doth it not to have the crop, but for his maſters profit: ſo the Saints up and down the Nation aretPſa. 126.5 ſowing in tears, and crying day and night to the Lord, that he will ariſe and have mercy upon Zion, uDan. 2.44Breake in pieces and conſume the fourth Monarchy, and render double vengeance upon Babylon. But for whom is this ſowing? Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us. xPſa. 83.17, 18.Let thine enemies be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to ſhame and periſh: That men may know, that thou whoſe Name alone is JEHOVAH, art the moſt high over all the Earth.
I know well enough what the faithful are charged with, for witneſſing againſt the unrighteouſneſs of men; viz. That that they would have others down, to have all power and greatneſs themſelves, and that they allow of no Miniſtry or Magiſtracy. For
Anſw. 1. The Lord who ſeacheth the hearts knows all this to be falſe:yJoſh. 22.22. If it be rebellion, or if in tranſgreſſion againſt the Lord, ſave us not this day. 2. The Accuſers themſelves, know it to be falſe. For would ſome men for worldly Advantages, corrupt their conſciences, they have had not a little profered them, of Eſau's Pottage and Balaams Reward. But 3. This is true, we pray againſt the Antichristian Miniſtery and Magistracy, that the Lord would pluck them up, Root and Branch, and caſt them, as unſavory Salt, to the Dunghil. And this we do (not being againſt all Magiſtracy and Miniſtery, but) to haveaIſa. 1.26. Judges restored …s at the firſt, bJer. 3.15.and Pastors according …o the Lords own heart, and ſo Chriſt …hec1 Tim. 6.15. ONELYONLY POTENTATE. Laſtly it is our Opinion, until the laſt Apostacie be deſtroyeddPſa. 67.2. God's way will not be known upon earth, and his ſaving health among all Nations: for it is THIS THAT LETTETH the ruine of Babylon, and the Gathering of the Nations to Jeſus Chriſt: viz. Jews and Gentiles.
We read in the History of the Waldenſes, when theſe good people denyed Chriſt's humane Body to be in the Sacrament, the Prieſts would report they denyed God: So not allowing the Virgin Mary to be prayed to, that they had blaſphemed her. Juſt ſo are we ſlandred at this day: Becauſe we are againſt an unlawful Ministery and Magistracy, Ergo, ſaith the Accuſer of the Brethren, we deny all, and will have none.
Thirdly, the Lord being Found of his People, 3. Becauſe of Love many ways.will have the more love from them many wayes.
Firſt,1. Love to the Lord himſelf. A TIME OF FINDING is an heart-enlarger of dear affections to Ieſus Christ. ePſa. 116.1.I love the Lord (ſaith David) becauſe he hath heard my voice and my ſuplications: So infPſa. 18.26. another place. Did not David love the Lord before he had theſe deliverances? yes, doubtleſs, and very much: Notwithſtanding by this means he lov'd him a great deal more. As a man by ſtretching out a Bag or Purſe, it holds more then it did before: So every Finding Time, is a reaching and ſtretching out the heart; our love riſeth and growes by it exceedingly.
Secondly, more Love to his Truth, and holy Wayes: 2. To his Truth and ways.Thou putteſt away all the wicked of the earth like droſs, Therefore I love thy Testimonies. Is not this harſh, that David ſhould be encouraged to love the Laws of God, of the dreadful Judgements he had ſeen executed upon Hypocrites, Apoſtates and Tyrants? If it be a thing very rich and pretious, yet ſo long as it is wrapt up and foulded together, few regard it, neither know we what it is: God's wrath powred out upon the Workers of Iniquity, is (as it were) the opening of himſelf, of his Kingdom and Laws; and until he doth ſo, he is not known, nor his appointments. ButgIſa. 26 9. When his …udgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteouſneſs. hPſa. 6.16.He is known by the judgement which be executeth, andiRev. 15.4. glorified by it. So …ong as HYPOCRITES REIGN, …nd the LAST APOSTACIE ſtands, the Lords Teſtimonies will not be loved, butkMic. 6.16. the Statutes of Omri kept: not the Lords Meſſengers hearkned unto, but the deceitful workers of Antichriſt. But when all Murtherers of ſouls and bodies ſhall be put away like droſs; then will People every where love the Teſtimonies and Laws of JEHOVAH.
Thirdly,3. Provoking others to love. If we have a TIME OF FINDING, we will provoke others to love the Lord: lPſa. 31.23, 24.Thou heardeſt the voice of my ſupplications when I cried unto thee: And what followes? O love the Lord all ye his Saints; For the Lord preſerveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the PROƲD DOER. If we have a friend that doth very much for us, we would have others (beſides our ſelves) to love him likewiſe. Of all men, thoſe who do moſt experience the love of God towards themſelves, do eſpecially provoke and ſtir up others to love him, and truſt in him. So David in another place,mPaſ. 34.5, 8. I ſought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears: O taſte and ſee that the Lord is good: Bleſſed is the ma… that truſteth in him. The Prophet here is like one that hath experienced … thing, and found it very good; perſwades others to make uſe alſo of it.
4. Others will be provoked by it.Fourthly, This TIME OF FINDING will cauſe many (hearing of it) to love, fear and honour the Lord. nExo. 18.7, 8, 9.When Jethro heard what the Lord had done unto Pharaoh, and unto the Egyptians, for Iſraels ſake, he rejoyced, ſaying, Bleſſed be the Lord, who hath delivered you, &c. Now I know the Lord is greater then all gods: For in the things wherein he dealt proudly, he was above the… We read in Esther thatoEſt. 8.17. many of the people of the Land became Iews; but when was it? after the Time of Finding, when Haman and his ſons were hanged; Then they cried,p2 Kin. 18.39. The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God: but whilſt Haman ſtood in power and greatneſs, who more honoured then he? So when the good news of theqRev. 11.13. Great Earth-quake ſhal… be ſpread thorow the Nations, and the periſhing of the Laſt Apostacie, under the first Vial, Oh, what rejoycing will this be to the Churches and Saints every where! how will they bleſs the Lord for it!rRev. 15.3. Iust and true are thy wayes, thou King of Saints! ſver. 4.for thy judgements are made manifest.
Now they will clearly underſtand that all the pretences and proteſtations which ſome made againſt the Pope, & for THE PROTESTANT CHRISTIAN RELIGION, were meer deluſions and falſehoods. Neither was Babylon in her idolatry and cruelty ſupported by any Power or State more then by them. And that they were the chief obſtructers of the Lord's work againſt the GREAT WHORE. If irons be taken off from hand or foot, this ſets the whole body free. The laſt Apostacie is as a great chain upon the Lords work; howſoever it be broken but in one Countrey, nevertheleſs the whole Body, all the members of Chriſt, will have Spiritual Liberty by it. And therefore doubtleſs when they ſhall hear of this Earth-quake, they will (like Iethro) bleſs the Lord for it.
4. Of glorifying God by truſting in him.Fourthly: Times of Finding give incouragement unto Saints tPſa. 63.8.to truſt in the Lord at all times, and to pour out their hearts before him: And this is uRom. 4.20.to give glory to God: xPſa. 9.10They that know thy Name, will put their truſt in thee. But how is the Name of God known? truly not in any thing more fruitfully and teachingly, then by Times of Finding; here his glory paſſeth before us; we behold him with open face; here we have his power, goodneſs, faithfulneſs, &c. made known to us:yPſa. 116.2. Becauſe he hath enclined his ear to me, THEREFORE will I call upon him as long as I live. A man knowing where the Fountain is, and being at it a thouſand times, and alwayes ſatisfied, knows where to go when he wants water.aPſa. 65.2. O thou that heareſt prayer, unto thee ſhall all fleſh come. Had we not a gracious anſwer of our cries and tears againſt the King and Prelates? He bowed the Heavens, and came down; then the earth ſhooke: He alſo thundred in the Heavens: And what more? He gave us the neck of our Enemies, we beat them ſmall as the dust before the winde, and did cast them out as the dirt in the ſtreets.
Queſt. But what hath the Lord gotten, by granting ſuch A TIME OF FINDING?
Anſw. The honor of truſting in him:bPſa. 63.7 Becauſe thou haſt been my help, (ſaith David,) Therefore in the ſhadow of thy wings will I rejoyce. That the Lord heard us in the late wars, and was foundcGen. 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;dJam. 1.6. In faith, nothing wavering: which is greatly to his Glory. The bramble would haveeJudg. 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:f1 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 PROƲD 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.gPſa. 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 thehMat. 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 theiRev. 14.6. Angel, To preach the Everlaſting Goſpel: Others thekRev. 15.1 Angels, to pour out the ſeven laſt plagues. Some,lPſa. 149.8. to bind their Kings in chains, and their Nobles with fetters of iron. Others,mRev. 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, nPſa. 104 35.be conſum'd out of the earth, and bloody Tyrants be no more. ThatoRev. 11.15. all the Kingdoms of the world may be Chriſts, pEze. 21 27whoſe 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,rPſa. 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.