the Time of Finding, Chapter 5
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,ſ1 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 himt1 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. t1 Cor. 14.15.I will pray (ſaith Paul) with the Spirit, and I will pray with underſtanding alſo. So in another place:uPſa. 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: thusxMal. 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) byyIſa. 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?aMal. 1.14. I am a great King, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, and curſed be the deceiver. bIſa. 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 onelyonly 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 LordcHa…. 3.2. in wrath will remember merciemercy, 1. In finding out and puniſhing ACHANS and TROƲBLERS, 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 he was to Lot in SODOM, and bring them forth, that they be not partakers of her plagues, Gen. 19.16. Rev. 18.4. Zach. 3.2. 2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 5. 2 Cor. 6.17, 18.
6. That the fulneſs of the Gentiles may come in, and all Iſrael be ſaved, Pſal. 67.2. Gen. 49.10. Hab. 2.14. Iſa. 25.7. & 32.6. & 35.6. & 43.19. Hoſ. 1.10, 11. & 3.5. Rom. 11.25, 26.
7. Whereas mens rebellion againſt the Lord, and their oppoſing HIS WORK, WAYS, KINGDOM and PEOPLE, is carried on under fair pretences, whereby many in their ſimplicity are led aſide into great tranſgreſſion againſt Jeſus Chriſt, Their prayer is, that all ſuch lyars, and diſſembling Hypocrites may daily be more diſcovered, and their deſignes broken, by ſome ſignal appearing of the Lord againſt them, Num. 16.15. Pſal. 55.12, 15. Hoſ. 11.12. Pſ. 140.8, 11. Iſa. 27.3. 1 Sam. 15.17, 18. with Chap. 18.14.
8. As they cannot hold their peace for ZIONS SAKE, ſo the Lord is earneſtly call'd upon, 1. that he will REMEMBER HER TREACHEROƲS AND FALSE FRIENDS, viz. Church-members, Profeſſors, Souldiers, Lawyers; all ſuch as have baſely betrayed her to the ENEMIE: Lam. 1.2. Pſal. 41.9. & 55.12, 15. 2 Sam. 15.31. Jer. 18.20.
2. Not to forget the reproach and ſcandal which ſhe ſuffers, by reaſon of their abominable hypocriſie and falſhood: having rendred the very NAME OF RELIGION odious to them that are without. Lam. 2.15. Rom. 2.14. Iſa. 52.5. Ezek. 36.20, 26. Gen. 32.30. Eccl. 10.1. Amos 4.10. 3. That the temptations and afflictions now upon her may thorowly cleanſe her, and make her meet for the maſters uſe, Iſa. 1.25. Mal. 3.5. Dan. 11, 35. 2 Tim. 2.21. 4. That the Lord will turn unto her a pure language, heal all breaches and divi…ions, that ſo her Children may ſerve him with one conſent. Zech. 3.9. 1 Cor. 1.10. Iſa. 11.13. Pſal. 134.1. Act. 2.1. 5. That the Spirit from on High may be poured out upon all her Sons and daughters, whereby their underſtanding may be opened to know all things, Joel. 2.28, 29. Act. 1.4. Luk. 24.49. Dan. 12.10. Amos 3.7. Rev. 22.10. Ioh. 14.16, 26. 1 Ioh. 2.20.
6. That ſhe may have her Judges reſtored as at the firſt, and Paſtors after GODS OWN HEART. Hence the Lord is daily cal'd upon to pluck up by the roots all falſe Offices, Miniſtries, Callings, Adminiſtrations and Maintenance, both new and old, Iſa. 1.26. Ier. 3.15. & 23.4. Ezek. 34.25. Mat. 15.13. Hoſ. 2.16, 17. Zech. 13.2. & 14.20, 21. Rev. 18.21. &c.
Laſtly, ſeeing it will be a great and dreadful day, when the Lord ſhall anſwer the prayers of his people, Even burn like an Oven; and who ſhall ſtand when God doth this? therefore is the Lord entreated to be ſo gratious unto his LITTLE ONES, as they may not be offended in what way or manner ſoever his great work comes forth, but may be prepared to meet the Lord, and counted worthy to follow him, Mal. 4.1. Num. 24.23. Iſa. 22.18, 19. & 25.9. 1 John 2.18. Luk. 21.36. Amos 4.12. Theſe are the things which the faithful of the Land are praying for, and the Apoſtates ſcoffing at. But it is not their deriſion can make the promiſe of God of no effect,dLuk. 21.33. Heaven and Earth (ſaith Chriſt) ſhall paſs away, but my words ſhall not, paſs away.