THE special Wisdome of the People of God in all Ge­nerations, under the vari­ety of his dispensations, hath been to know what the Lord hath spoken, and called his People to, under them, in the knowledge of which hath been bound up their, mercy and peace in every Genera­tion.

All their miscarriages have been for want of attending hereunto, ei­ther in a day of peace and outward blessing, or in a day of affliction and [Page 2] judgement. The safety of this peo­ple to whom this word was spoken, Enter into thy Chambers, &c. did lye in the obedience thereof at that day, which let us a little more particularly consider.

This Prophet, though many years before the day of it, spake of the Captivity of Judah, and also of her return and restauration, with the blessings that should attend it, which restauration he more at large begins to discover at the 14. Chap. For the Lord will have mercy upon Jacob, and will yet chuse Israel, and set them to their own Land, &c. Upon which, the Prophet having denounced the burden of the Lord against Babylon, Chap. 13. threa­tens all other Nations to the 25. Chap. that but helped in or rejoy­ed at the day of his Peoples Capti­vity, as Moab, and Syria, and Egypt, and Tyre, &c.

As is more generally exprest, ch. [Page 3] 17. 12, 13, 14. Wo to the multitude of many people, which make a noise, like the noise of the seas, and to the rushing of Nations, that make a rushing of mighty waters; But God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee afar off, and shall be chased as the chaffe of the Mountains before the wind, and like a rouling thing before the whirlewind; what is the reason of all this? why, This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us; The restoring and salvation of Judah was accompanied with the distress of all the Nations round a­bount her, and with the utter ruine of the Babylonish Monarchy, set forth, chap. 29.

The great revolutions & periods of all the Nations of the World, have been the issues of the Captivity or Deliverance of the people of God, and God hath go­vernd the World in subserviency there­unto.

The Prophet having thus spoken [Page 4] of Jacobs deliverance, and the great Earth-quake of the Nations that should accompany it, At the 25, 26, and 27. chap. you have songs of praise referring to that day, mixt with promises of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Know­ledge, Light, Peace, and Glory that should be the issue of the dispensa­tion of grace by him to the Jews and Gentiles, even all the Nations of the Earth in this 26. chap. You have the song of praise continued, specially respecting Judahs gather­ing, magnifying the power of the Lord in her salvation, and in the ruine of Babylon, v. 4, 5. their po­sture in their captivity, v. 8. lo we have waited for thee, &c. Their visi­ting the Lord in their distresse, and powering out prayer before him, v. 16, 17, 18. At the 18th. verse they are brought in complaining, that they had been in pangs, yet had wrought no deliverance in the Earth, neither [Page 5] had the Inhabitants of the World fallen; At the 19. verse, the Lord by the Prophet gives an answer, that though in their Captivity they did lye as dead men, yet verse 19. Thy dead men shall live, &c. Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the Earth shall cast out her dead; Thy resurrection from this Captivity and Death, shall be as the herbs that lye dead in Winter, but shall revive and spring forth again by the dews of the spring upon them, in the mean time, the Lord calls them to retire, and promiseth to secure them; Come my people, enter thou in­to thy Chambers, &c.

Where, 1. You have the tender and affectionate invitement and call of God, come my People, whatever the World speaks of thee, and makes thee as an out-cast, yet still my People, pretious in my sight, under my eye and care, though no man [Page 6] careth for thee; No matter if all the Nations of the World say, go you out-casts, if the Lord say, come my people.

2. Where, and to what he calls, enter in thy Chambers, retire thy self as into thy strong hold for safety; and shut thy door about thee, as when men retire into their houses from a storm, and shut their doors; fur­ther amplified, Hide thy self, how long? but for a little moment, till the indignation be over past. Their cry­ing out in pangs, their powering out of prayer, engaged the Lord to full mercy. 1. To hide them under the indignation. 2. To hasten to their Salvation, and that speedily, it shall be but for a moment. Then will the Lord come out of his place, and that to admiration and asto­nishment; for behold his appearance shall be wonderful and glorious, in the season of it, and the manner of it; He will punish the Inhabitants of the [Page 7] Earth, and the Earth shall disclose her blood, the blood of his Servants, spilt as water upon the ground by the Babylonians,) and shall no wise cover her slain; Thus you have the words with their coherence opened.

The special thing I would take notice of (in order to the discove­ry of the mind and call of Christ to his Saints at this day) is the Lords calling of them into their Chambers, to shut their doors, to hide them­selves; which expressions denote this one thing in the general, name­ly, Retirement, which I shall give forth, in one observation, natural­ly and clearly decuced, as the scope of the Holy Ghost in them.

Ob. The Lord Jesus Christ in his providential Dispensations sometimes calls his People to Retirement.

That I may more particularly discover what I mean by Retire­ment.

Jesus Christ calls his people to [Page 8] retire. 1. Within himself. 1. As to all manner of Protection.

2. As to more close and intimate Communion.

2. He calls them to Retirement, as to Publick services, and administra­tions.

1. He calleth them to retire un­der his shade for Protection; so he was said to spread his wings over his People, as an Eagle doth over her young ones, in the Wilderness of old, Deut. 32. And in the day of the Na­tions wrath, when in a confederacy a­gainst his people, they are called his hidden ones, Psal. 83. They con­sult, but tis against thy hidden ones; and so that pretious word of grace, where the Lord holds out his arms to his poor ones in a stormy day, Esay 4. 6. There shall be a Tabernacle for a shaddow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a cover from storm and from rain.

So Ch. 25. 4. (And let them be [Page 9] words of faith, to all Saints) for thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shaddow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible one is against the wall, ch. 32. 2. A man (the man Christ Jesus) shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a Cavert from the tempest.

And thus the Saints in stormy times bespeak the Lord, and have fled into him as their refuge and hi­ding place; So David often, keep me as the apple of thine eye, hide me under the shadow of the wings, Psal. 17. 8. Thou shall hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man, thou shall keep them secretly in a pavil­lion, Psal. 31. 8. In the time of trou­ble he shall hide me in his Pavillion, in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me, he shall set me upon a Rock, Psal. 27. In the shaddow of thy wings will I make my refuge, untill these Calamities be overpast, Psal. 57. 1. Of which [Page 10] David in all his persecutions and wan­drings, had abundant and sweet ex­perience in the review and recollecti­on of which he breaks forth into the praises of the Lord, his heart being warmed with the sense of the Lords goodness and love, Psal. 18. I will love thee, (or I will dearly love thee) Oh Lord my strength, the Lord my Rock, my Foriress, and my Deliverer, my God, my Strength in whom shall I trust, my Buckler, and the hope of my Salvation, and my High-Tower.

Upon which experience he gives forth, everlasting words of grace for all the People of God to trust upon in all Generations, as Psal. 9. 9. The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in time of trou­ble, Psal. 91. 1, 2. He that dwelleth in the secret places of the Most High, shall abide under the shaddow of the Almighty, with many more words to the same purpose, The Lord at that [Page 11] day of indignation from the house of Saul and all the mighty men of Israel, against David and such as did adhere to him, calling David to re­tire as into his chambers, from the storm that was against him, till the indignation was overpast, and the Lord hid him from the wrath of man, as hath been shewed.

Of the same import is that word, Prov. 11. 10. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower, and the righteous run­neth into it and are safe. There are three Names of God to which his people in a day of indignation fly unto.

The name of his Goodness; that Name which the Lord made known and proclaimed to Moses, after the People of God had sinned, and Mo­ses had cryed to him for the for­givenesse of their sin, and begs his presence may go with them; I will make (saith the Lord) all my good­ness to pass before thee, Exod. 33. 19. [Page 12] and chap. 34. 6. The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed. The Lord God Merciful and Gracious, long suf­fering, abundant in goodness, in truth, &c. So when David pleads with God in his distresse, Psal. 89. the argument of Faith is, v. 5. For thou Lord art good, and therefore ready to forgive, &c. and when he flyes un­to God, Psal. 31. he makes this as the wing of God, the Name of his goodness, vers. 19. Oh how great is thy Goodness thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men, thou shalt hide them, &c. And Psal. 144. My Goodness, my For­tress, and my high Tower, &c. not onely my good good, but goodness it self, &c. Yea this Name of God that he proclaimed to Moses, was as the great refuge of the Saints in the day of their distresse, and which they urged upon him, as Psal. 86. and 103. and 145. and Neh. 9. 17. 31▪ because [Page 13] in all Generations hee would be known to his people by this Name, and by Faith they were to live up­on it, in all their difficulties; The Lord abundant in goodness, and mer­cy, and truth, &c. And when Judah was going into captivity, the Lord offers himself to them by this Name if they would turn unto him, and commands Jeremiah to proclaim it, as it was proclaimed it, as it was proclaimed before Moses, Jer. 3. 12. Go and proclaim these words towards the North, and say, Re­turn thou back-sliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause my anger to come upon you, (or to settle upon you,) for I am merciful, &c. A heart-breaking word, if that people had hearkened to it.

To this Name of the Lord do his people retire for shelter and re­fuge in an evil day, though they have sinned against him; we have sinned, yet the Lord is infinitely good, and therefore ready to for­give, [Page 14] Who is like unto him, a God pardoning iniquity, Micah 7. And therefore where ever the Lord gives out promises of help and de­liverance to his People from cap­tivity and destresse, hee also annex­eth free promises of grace, in a­bundant forgivenesse, Esay 43. 16, 17. speaking of the glorious Sal­vation of his people; though they had wearied them with their iniqui­ties, verse 24. yet I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not re­member thy sins, see chapter 24. 22. see Jeremiah 33. 5, 6, 7. Behold I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, (though a wound­ed, broken, scattered people) and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth, and verse 8. I will cleanse them from all the ini­quity whereby they have sinned a­gainst me, and I will pardon all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned [Page 15] against me, and whereby they have transgressed against me; though A­gainst me, (thrice repeated) against all my kindnesse to them, and my often Salvation of them, yet I will cleanse them, and though they are become a reproach to all Nations, yet it shall be to me a Name of joy, a praise and honour, before all the Nations of the Earth; See Jeremiah 51. 5. for Israel hath not been for­saken, nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of hosts, though their land was filled with sin against the holy One of Israel. Under these wings of grace thus spread forth in pretious pro­mises, do a poor, sinfull, broken people shelter themselves, in hum­bling and turning to the Lord, and they are safe, this being the great Covenant Name of God they fly to, and take hold of in all their sins and distresses.

Secondly, the People of God re­tire into the Name of his Almighti­ness, [Page 16] Psal. 91. 1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, shall abide, (or lodg as in a house of defence) under the shadow of the Almighty, &c. As a God infinite­ly able to preserve and keep safe all the concernments of soul and life, that his people commit to him, a­ble to save in, and out of all distres­ses, from every snare of the De­vil, from the wrath of man, as Paul, 2 Timothy 1. 12. For I know when I have believed, and am per­swaded that he is Able to keep what I have committed to him, &c.

Thirdly, The Name of the Lords Everlastingness, sameness, unchange­ableness, is a Refuge to retire to; Abraham called on the Name of the Lord, the Everlasting God, Genesis the 21. the last verse. So the Lord comforteth his people, Esay 40. 28. Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the Ends of the [Page 17] Earth, fainteth not, neither is weary, &c. So the People of God in their Plea, Esay 63. 16. Thy name is from Everlasting, &c. And Psal. 102. Where is set forth a day of sore indignation and distresse, as verse 10. Thou hast lifted us up, and cast us down, &c. What is their stay and Refuge in such a case, why this, verse 12. But thou, oh Jeho­vah shalt endure for ever. And ver. 27. But thou art the same, &c. And though wee perish, thou art the same; Thou art the same in thy Covenant, mercy is from everla­sting and to everlasting, &c. The same in goodness, pity, and wisdom, and power, the faithful God, that keepest Covenant and Mercy for e­ver, as good to save as ever thou wast, and as able to save; so hee strengthens and comforts his Peo­ple with the discovery of his Name, Mallachi 3. 6. For I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of Ja­cob [Page 18] are not consumed. Let the state of the people of God be what it will, there is support in this, Thou Lord art still the same; we have known what thou hast been to thy people in dayes of old, and what thou hast done for them; Oh, where are thy former loving kindnesses, &c. The Covenant of God with his peo­ple is built as upon two Pillars, Mercy and Faithfulness, Psal. 89. 2. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever, thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very Heavens; I have made a Covenant with my chosen, &c. Under these two doth David shel­ter, as the Wings of the Cherubims, 57. 1, 2. God shall send forth his Mercy and Truth, and shall save me, Mercy to pitty and forgive, Faith­fulness to fulfil his Word, here is a safe shelter for Saints; in every strait David, and other of the peo­ple of God, get under these Wings of God, and are at peace; David [Page 19] near twenty times in the Psalms is putting these two together, thy Mercy and thy Truth shall prevent me, and in them I trust; If all the Mercy of God, and all the Truth and Faithfulness of God be my portion, what need I fear? here is sweet and safe retirement for Saints in an evil day.

But how do poor Souls retire in­to this Blessed Name of God, a Merciful, Almighty, Unchangea­ble God, as a Rock for them.

1. By seeing thorough the Light of the Spirit, the Emptiness and Va­nity of all other refuges, that no­thing below an unchangeable God of all Grace, through Jesus Christ, can be a refuge for a Naked and Forlorne Soul, in Psalm 62. David mentions two things, which the heart is apt to make a reguge, Men and Riches, vers. 9, 10. of both these he saith, they are a lie, and vanity; [Page 20] And, if riches increase, set not your heart upon them; do not think them a meet refuge for you in any day, specially a day of distress; if nei­ther the sons of men nor riches be a shelter, then, in God, saith David, is my Salvation and my Glory, the rock of my strength and my refuge is in God; Yea, He onely is my Rock, v. 6. seel Psal. 142. 4, 5. I looked, &c. v. 4. And what did he see? Why, Refuge failed him, every refuge was too low, too short, too weak, to shelter him, here was conviction of nothing but emptyness in them, vanity upon them all; What then? why, vers. 5. I said, Thou art my refuge, and my portion, there is that in Jesus Christ to ensafe me and sa­tisfie me (the two great ends to which the soul moves in all its de­sires) now I have them not in Crea­tures, they can't be a refuge, not a portion, but God in Christ is [Page 21] both, is All, This is a conviction we should pass under every day.

2. We retire into this Blessed Name of the Lord, by Faith, He is a Rock, Psalm. 62. the Rock of A­ges, or the Everlasting Rock, no­thing below himself is so; Faith sees him so, as a sinking man in the Waters sees a Rock, and makes to it, and sees him onely, he onely is my Rock; Now heres the ensafeing Act of Faith, it can lay up all con­cernments of Soul and Life, with an unchangeable God; here I ad­here, fasten, cleave; Oh, O that Blessed Glorious Name, a Gracious, Almighty or All-sufflcient, and Unchangeable Saviour, in the day of my trouble. Oh set me on this Rock, that is higher then I, Psal. 61. 2. Then let Waves and Bil­lows beat against me, they may break themselves, but shall never break the Rock; I shall not be mo­ved, [Page 22] Psal. 62. Thats the stability faith gives the Soul, let Sins, Temp­tations, Troubles, beat against me, I shall not be moved; thus Faith can triumph at all times. Trust in him at all times, God is a refuge for us; In shaking times, in dy­ing times, all is safe with him, yea when the Heart is overwhelmed and desolate, Faith thus relieves and fetcheth up the Heart in all its sink­ings; let the Soul see a storm com­ing, away it hastens into its Re­fuge, into the Chambers of strength, and shuts its door, till it be over­past.

Because this is the Work of Saints, and the call of the Lord to them at this day; Consider it a lit­tle further.

First, Jesus Christ presents him­self to a poor soul as an open refuge, [Page 23] let the sin, burden, distress, in­ward or outward be what it will, this door of Grace stands open, the sinners of the World pass by it, and will not enter (the more their mi­sery) but poor souls that are bea­ten out of one hold, after another and see at last this door of hope o­pened, in the valley of Darkness and Fears runs into it; unbelief would draw the Soul back, Satan would shut the Door against it, but the soul ventures (and venture it must or sink and perish) and gets in­to Christ, and he holds out a hand, and bears it up, opens Blood, and Righteousness, and Grace, and bids the soul make use of it; and here the Soul retires every day, under this shelter tis driven, and it can be quiet and safe no where else, if the heart be stealing out else where, to other shelters in the World, or of its own, Satans World and Consci­ence [Page 24] set upon it; And the Soul flies back, and gets into its strong hold again; No living safely else where; Now Jesus Christ is an open refuge, in every precious word of free Grace, Esay 55. 1. Rev. 21. 6. 22. 17. &c. which words Believers see as a blessed safe Retirement, when they are stormd out of every thing else, and evidences are bemist­ed.

Secondly, Jesus Christ presents himself a sure refuge for Souls to Retire into; He sprinkles blood, casts a Mantle of Righteousnesse, a Mantle of Love, and Grace, and Power, over the soul that gets into him, and who then can harm it? Guilt, and Sorrows, and Tempta­tions, and Pressures, can follow the soul to the Door, but cannot enter with it; He is near that justi­fieth, who then shall contend? Esay [Page 25] 50. 8. there is safety. Tis true, the soul is not alwayes apprehen­sive of its own safety, but hath its fits of Fears and Mis-givings, through Temptation and Unbe­lief, as in Davids Case (and mark it) Psal. 31. 22. For I said in my hast, I am cut off from before thine eyes, neverthelesse thou heardest the voice of my Supplication when I cryed unto thee, here was sad Ap­prehension,—I am cut off, (though he had words of Promise to the contrary) but yet he cry­ed to the Lord in that distemper, but what, did the Lord cast him off, because of that mixture of unbelief? No, neverthelesse he heard and saved him; a Case of great relief for Dark, Doubting Souls. So that Jesus Christ is a safe, sure, strong, impregnable shelter, all the World can't get a soul out of it, all is safe there.

Obj. But may not my life go for it, for all this?

Answer, That which is in­deed thy life, the life of thy soul, the immortal life, that is most safe hid (or laid) with Christ in God, Col. 3. 3. Because I live, you shall live also, John 14. your life is as safe as my life, tis bound up with my own, yea tis the same with my own, the life I live, I live in you. As Christ lives in the Father, so Believers live in him, and have their life fed in him, and from him, and there­fore they shall never die, but have Eternal Life; What more? Then to live for ever, and so to live for ever, as Christ himself lives, surely thats a Blessed, Safe, and Glorious Life; This is your Life.

[Page 27]But secondly, If Jesus Christ will use thy natural life in all the concernments of it, who shall reach thy life? Not the World, not all the Persecutions of it, no nor thy liberty neither; Jesus Christ hath charged himself with both, and all the interests of thy life, he will order thy race, and every step thereof, to that end in which he will most be glorifi­ed in thee, and theresore be put­ting it by faith into his hand eve­ry day; and say as Jesus Christ himself did, in the interest of his life, Father Glorifie thy Name; John 12. 29. This was when our Dear Saviour (as a man) was so­licitous about his life, and his soul was troubled, and cries, save me from this hour, vers. 27. but yet bows to the Will of his Fa­ther, Glorifie thy Name.

[Page 28]No man shall touch thy life, till thou shalt say, I have finished the Work that my Father gave me to do, John 17. 4. So that Jesus Christ hath charged himself with the care of thy life, liberty and all the interests thereof, as well as with the pretious life of thy Soul.

Thirdly, the loosing thy life, is the saving and finding of it, as to life Eternal; the death of thy natural life, makes way for the True, Spiritual, Immortal, Glori­ous life, The cutting off this mo­mentary life, issues in a higher and more excellent life, so that there can be no miss of it, faith sees, a life in death, and that by it Mortality is swallowed up of life; Thus Jesus Christ is a shelter to thy life.

And so I have opened how [Page 29] Jesus Christ calls his Saints to re­tire into himself, by way of safe­ty and protection.

Secondly, Christ calls his own to retire into a more intimate com­munion with him, in a time of in­dignation, when storms are up.

The second Thing.

2. This call of Jesus Christ into a more intimate Communion with him, should blessed souls attend to in such a day; into the Chambers of his Presence; so Song of Solomon, chap. 1. 9. Draw me, we will run after thee, the King hath brought me into his Chambers, we will be glad and rejoyce in thee, we will remember thy love, more then Wine, the upright love thee; there is sweet and intimate com­munion.

Now how doth the Lord bring a soul to this?

Answer, Jesus Christ shews himself to the soul, in a greater Beauty and Glory, then a soul had seen him before, and thereby Humbles, Empties, and Awakens, brings it lower, and to be viler in its own eyes, takes down all the high thoughts and conceits of it self, makes the Soul know its own poverty, whereby it becomes less then the least of all Saints, ren­ders pride, and passion, and self­ishness, and temerity, and censo­riousness, and hypocresie, with all fleshly corruptions, more abo­minable and loathsome, and the soul abhors it self in the dust (too good for it) & is burthened, and groans under the pressuresmenti­oned, cryes & mourns after, a fur­ther [Page 31] cleansing, healing, and a more pretious conformity to Jesus Christ, cries out for the Spirit, for Holi­ness, for Light and Strength, and cannot live without them; this is the way to more intimate com­munion, here is a Vision of the Lord Jesus, in his Holinesse, Beau­ty, and Glory, that renders the Soul thus infinitely vile in it self, and draws out such a panting af­ter him; Then it hath further Attractives of love,—We will remember thy love more then Wine; Then, how Free, how Pretious, how Eternal, how Glorious is the Lords love to a worthless wretch, whose sin is worse then the sin of Devils (for they never sin against this love) Oh that the Lord should not onely in pitty save me, but in love die for me; who can reach or understand it?

[Page 32]Thus is Glory and Love let in upon the soul; And then the up­right love thee; Oh that I might love the Lord uprightly; love him, and love him uprighty, love him for himself, love his Glori­ous Person, be enamoured with the Beauties of his Holinesse, that I might see his Glory, and for e­ver admire and adore him; thus souls, when he pleaseth thus to shew himself, are taken into his Banqueting House, and his Banner over them is love; they retire into him, and sit under his shadow with great delight, and his Fruit is sweet to their tast, Song of Solomon, 2. 3, 4. This is pretious and Hea­venly employment, in such a day when the Lamb calls to Retire­ment, when the heat of the Sun begins throughly to beat against it, and the soul finds little shadow in the World, then the shadow [Page 33] of this Rock in a weary land (a land of sin and trouble) is sweet and plesant retirement indeed.

The effect of this special Re­tirement into the Chambers of our Lord Jesus, under his shadow, is sweet peace, and rest of mind and spirit, when the Waves and Billows come against us, a blessed stilnesse, a composed acquiescen­cy in the Lord, and a freee resign­ment to him, the allaying and rebuking the tumultuous work­ings of our hearts, a casting our care upon the love, and care, and faithfulnesse of the Lord in every condition; In the Multitude of my thoughts (my careful thoughts) within me, thy comforts delight my soul, Psal. 94. 19. yea in this blessed Retirement, cryes out, Return into thy Rest, oh my soul; Thou hast been wandering after other rest, too too much, but [Page 34] hast not found where to put thy feet, therefore now return to thy sweet, safe, proper Rest; abide and dwell there, and that for e­ver. So the soul can in some good measure, sanctifie the Name of the Lord, by believing and trust­ing on him, and waiting for him, making Christ his Portion and E­verlasting strength, and doth in patience possess it self.

One word by way of more particular Application.

1. If this Retirement into Je­sus Christ, into the chambers of his Grace, be the great interest of souls; What a case then are poor forlorne sinners in that have no shelter for soul or life, or any thing, but what the wide World (as you speak) can afford them, which will not keep off a storm, [Page 35] not one drop of the Wrath of the Almighty? Verily the Wrath of the jealous God is ready to come forth into the Nations of the earth [after a little stilness that hath been upon them] who is coming [and saints do hear the sounding of his feet] to tread up­on them in his wrath, and tram­ple them in his fury, Esay 63. and then where will all your shelters be? When it shall be said to the scoffers at the report of his day, Behold you despisers, and wonder and perish, for the Anger of the Lord shall smoak against you; Oh awake and tremble, believe and tremble, and see your confiden­cies to be lying vanities, men and riches, and strength, are a lye, and they shall not, cannot save you in the day of the Lords in­dignation; Oh be convinced of it, see the Lord Jesus, in his [Page 36] blood, righteousnesse, free pro­mises of Grace, an open shelter, where you may fly and be safe; Oh get thy polluted, guilty, be­trayed soul, into thy shelter, make hast to get thy soul washed, ju­stified, sanctified, renewed in the Blood and Spirit of the Lord Je­sus, get the Mantle of his Righ­teousnesse over thee, and his spi­rit to quicken thee, or thou shalt perish from the way without re­medy.

2. Doth Jesus Christ call his Saints into his Chambers, to retire with him, and that for protection and more intimate Communion. Oh let this be the Word of the Lord to all the Lambs followers; Now Jesus Christ hath for a Moment withdrawn, is gon behind the Clouds, cry, draw us, and we will run after thee.

[Page 37]Now know and see more Expe­rimentally, that Name that is in­deed a strong Tower, that cove­nanting Name that hath been set before you, The Lord gracious and abundant in goodnesse; let thy soul say, This is my Rock, a Gracious, Almighty, Immutable God in Christ God the same yesterday, and to day, for ever, unchangeable in Grace, Goodness, Wisdom, Pow­er, Love, and that because of a Covenant built upon the Pillars of Mercy and faithfulnesse that are for ever; This is my House of De­fence, here will I dwell; This is my Rock, and I shall not be mo­ved; Here is your life, your strength, your safety, your all.

Oh see what an open and sure Refuge Jesus Christ is, your sins and guilt cannot enter in with you, but you leave them at the door, say, Ah Lord, spread the [Page 36] [...] [Page 37] [...] [Page 38] Mantle of thy Righteousnesse o­ver me, let thy banner over me be love, and what ever the storm be, I shall be safe; in the heat of the day, under the shadow of this Rock, will I sit; put me under unchangeable love and grace, and Lord I shall be safe; say of him, Thou onely shalt bee my portion and my refuge, into thy Chambers, Oh Lord, I enter (draw me into them) under thy wings will I make my Refuge, till the Indignation be over past.

Oh accept me, heal me, hold me to thy self, keep me, hide me in thy Chambers of Grace, watch over me night and day. Yea, Lord, lead me into a near­er Communion with thee, shew me thy Holinesse and thy Glory, that I may be yet more vile in my own sight before thee; Ah humble me, empty me of all, [Page 39] new season me, new frame me, with seven times more holinesse then before; Conform me to thy self to purpose, and for e­ver Commune with me, Reckon me, my dear Lord, as thy Friend and Companion, as thy sweet ac­quaintance; Oh take my heart, fill me with love, and let us ne­ver, never part any more; Oh thus should be the breathings and pangs of our souls after our Lord Jesus in such a day. This is to enter into his Chambers, in­to his Rest.

Thirdly, As to outward safe­ty, Enter into his Chambers, say with David, Thou shalt hide me in the Secret of thy presence; Lord, Thou art my hiding place, Yea Lord, let all thy People be thy hidden ones; Call them into thy Chambers, hide them from the pride and rage of man. Seek [Page 40] the Lord, It may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lords an­ger, Zeph. 2. 3. you have at least an It may be, for it; Who know­eth but the Lord will hide, won­derfully (for so it must be) and keep this Generation of his peo­ple, though they dwell in the fire; wonderful it is to see the Bush burning, and yet not consu­med.

The Lord hath gloriously tri­umphed in the death of some of his Witnesses, who by dying have overcome (more than by signal battels in the field) and it may be hath some more to set to their Seal the same way, but this Generation of people shall enter their Chambers, and shall yet be further hid, till the Lord come out of his place, and the earth disclose her blood. As I have believed, so have I spo­ken.

[Page 41]Blessed be the Lord, who remem­bers his people in these poor Nati­ons, and will not cast them off: For thou Lord wilt bless the righteous, with favour wilt thou compass them as with a shield. Thou art good, and ready to forgive, and thou wilt forgive the sin of thy people, (though they have been a rebellious Seed) be­cause they be thy people, and thy Name is in them, and thy great glory is conferred upon them; for the nee­dy shall not alwayes be forgotten, nor shall the expectation of the poor fail from before thee. And thus much of the first branch of the Proposition▪ We now come to the second thing, Viz.

[Page 42]We would prove this, and when the Lord so calls, and why he calls them to such a retirement.

The two great instances of the Old and New Testament, do confirm this.

1. That of the people of God in Babylon, where the remnant of the best people were carryed, according to the Word of the Lord to them by Jeremiah, and there the Lord promisseth to be a little Sanctuary to them, Ezek. 11. 13. but there they had no Temple nor Sacrifices while they were in their captivity, but were to live in the Faith of their return from the Captivity, when the Temple should be built again; and they were to humble themselves to the Lord, and to cry to him till it were accomplisht: So that here the Lord in that day of distress, promiseth to take care of the Remnant, Ezek. 11. 13. accor­ding to the plea of the Prophet, Ah [Page 43] Lord God, wilt thou make a full end of the Remnant of Israel; And the Lord promiseth to restore them, to bring them back to their Land, and to give them his Ordinances as in the dayes past: Yet during their captivity, they were deprived of all positive wor­ship, of all publike Administrati­ons, but lived in the Faith of their return, according to the Word of Lord by his Prophets to them.

So in the New-Testament times, during the Captivity of the true Worshippers and Witnesses of Je­sus Christ under the Mystical Baby­lon; The true Church is call'd in­to the Wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, where she should be fed, Rev. 12. 6. where she lieth hid: And though there is a Temple measured, Rev. 11. 1. yet 'tis as shut up, till at the pouring out of the Vials, the Temple is opened, [Page 44] Rev. 15. 5. But especially towards the end of the Beasts reign, when the Witnesses have prophesied more openly, and have finished a Testimo­ny to all the Offices of Jesus Christ, especially that of his Kingly Pow­er over Saints and Nations, (the Nations that are found in the Spi­rit of the Beast, make war against them, and slay them; that is, lay their, Testimony dead, as if the ef­fects of it should never appear: All publike Prophesying, and publike Administrations of Worship, are cut off, and laid dead (wherein the last slaying of the Witnesses doth specially consist) yet the main body and generation of the Saints preserved; but so, as they are in all respects, either Civil or Ecclesia­stical, call'd off from the publike Stage, to a retired condition, and do lye as dead men (onely they are not buryed, but are, as it were, still kept [Page 45] above ground) till the Spirit of Life from God enter into them: So at the Text, when the People of God are called into their Chambers, he said, in the 19th. verse of the 26. chap. of Isaiah, Thy dead men shall live, &c. while in their captivity, they lay as dead men.

So Hosea 6. 1, 2. When smitten and wounded in their captivity, they shall lye as dead; but after two dayes, he wil revive them.

But more particularly, when doth the Lord call them thus to retire­ment, call them off from the publike stage, and bids them enter into their Chambers?

1. In the case of the text, When the wrath of man is kindled against them, when the Nations and people among whom they converse, are in a confede­racy against them, and say of Zi▪ [Page 46] on, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion, Micah the 4th. and the 11th. Verse. Then he knoweth how to hide his people as in his Pavillion; then shall they be his hidden ones. Psal. 83. So he hid the seven thou­sand in Samaria, that did not bow the knee to Baal, whom the text saith, He reserved to himself, Rom▪ the 11th. chap. ver. 4. And yet that people, at that day, were under an obligation of Worship at the Temple at Hierusalem; but God did indulge them, as may further bee shewed.

So (as hath been hinted) the Lord hides the Woman in the wil­derness from the Wrath of the Dragon, who casts a Flood after her.

2dly, Jesus Christ calls his peo­ple to retirement, when he reserves [Page 47] them for a Day of Mercy and greater Service, and a more pure Reformation, when hee thus layes them dead in order to a more glo­rious resurrection. So in severall Ages have they been wonderfully kept under the variety of the Lord's Dispensations to them; as in Egypt, and David, and the remnant of Ju­dab that adhered to them: Many instances might be given.

3dly, The Lamb calls to retire­ment when he hath been contesting with the Spirit of the Beast in any of the Nations, by the called, and faithful, and chosen, Rev. 17. 14. When he hath set on foot his con­troversie with any of the Horns▪ and hath overcome them, hath of­ten carried it against him yet hee suffers his Enemies to rally again, and his own followers are scattered; when he seems to turn aside from [Page 48] the pursuit, to drink of the Brook in the way, (as it were) to refresh himselfe, and then makes a short turn to the Prey again, Psalm 110. Verse the last, that hee may gather his Enemies as sheaues into his floor, Micah 4. 12, 13. and will make the Horn of the Daughter of Zion as Iron, to thresh them in such a day▪ The Lamb withdraws and retires, and calls his Saints to retire with him: And this is to follow the Lamb wheresoever be goeth, Revel. 14. to go as he goeth, and to retire as he retires, and not to run out with­out him, upon any account what­soever. In such a season the Lamb doth indulge them, nay call them off from their publike Administrations and Services, and Prophesyings, and they are to wait till the Cloud appear and goe before them, in which they can see the Presence of the Lamb, and heare his Voice [Page 49] calling them thereto.

4thly, The Lord (as it fol­lows from the former, calls them to retirement, when hereby he will fit and separate a genetation to follow him in his next appea­ring, when hee will prepare them in the fire, melt them, and try rhem, Jer. 9. 7. ‘I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the Daugh­ter of my people?’ Then he will cast out the treacherous dealers from among them, as Verse 4. of that 9th. of Jeremiah; ‘Take heed every one of his Neigh­bour, and trust ye not in any Brother; for every Brother wil supplant, &c. And they will de­ceive every one his Brother, and will not speak the truth, ver. 5.’ Now God will discover and cast out such a mixture and spi­ri [...] from among his people, in [Page 50] the day that he will melt them, and try them, v. 7. and Ezek. 22. 18, &c.

When the Lord is doing this work, by letting out the wrath of man upon them, he then calls them to retirement▪

2. Why doth the Lord thus call them? &c.

1. The Lord calls his people in­to their Chambers, into a retired condition, to express his tender­ness of them, as he calls them the Apple of his Eye, Zach. 2. 8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the Apple of mine eye, &c. Keep me as the Apple of thine eye, Psal. 17. and his pecu­liar Treasure, Exod. 19. 5. Psal. 135. 4. Such a day is a day of making up his jewels, Mal. 3. 17. referring to a day of retirement, when the wick­ed were set up, v. 15. then when he makes them up, he not onely puri­fies them, and puts a lustre upon [Page 51] them, but spares them as a Father spares his Son, and doth not spend them, but rarely, upon the rage of men.

2. The Lord thus takes them into his Chambers, that the glory of his Power may be seen in restrain­ing the wrath of man, and causing it to praise him; that his people should be in the waters, and not be overwhelmed; and in the fire, & not be consumed; this is because the Lord is with them, because he is the Lord their God, the holy One of Israel, their Saviour, Isa. 43. 2, 3. That the Enemies of his Peo­ple should not be able to act their own counsels, nor to exe­cute their own rage, by a migh­ty hand of God restraining. This is, and should be marvellous in the eyes of his people.

[Page 52] 3dly, The Lord calls to retire­ment, when the generation of the ungodly and oppressors are ripen­ing for wrath; then doth the Lord lay up his people in the secret of his Presence; so Psal. 91. which is a word holding out the Lord's hi­ding of his people, as hath been hinted, So see verse 8. 9. ‘Onely with thine eyes shalt thoubehold, and see the reward of the wicked; &c. Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and Adder, the young Ly­on and the Dragon shalt thou trample under foot, v. 13.’ Now the People of God will discern through the light of the Spirit in the Word, the Marks and Cha­racters of a generation of God's Wrath, which in this place I shall not insist on. They are such as these:

‘When a generation of men do worse then their Fathers, Jer. 7. 2. [Page 53] and chap. 16. 12, 13. Ye have done worse than your Fathers, for behold ye walk every one accor­ding to the imagination of his e­vil heart, &c. therefore will I cast you out of this Land, &c. And this in a Land of Vision, and after the hand of God hath been emi­nently lifted up against them; When a people return to Idola­try, and Antichristian abomina­tions, when Jesus Christ hath begun to reform a Nation, as in the dayes of Manasseh; When such a generation do declare their sin as Sodom, Isa. 5. When abomi­nable uncleanness, excess and ri­ot, and all manner of villany is acted as at noon-day; When they persecute the Prophets and Mes­sengers of the Lord, that they may not speak unto the people, 2 Chron. 36. 16. But take away the Key of Knowledge, Luke 17. with [Page 55] Mat. 23. forbidding the servants of Christ to speak unto the people, that they may fill up their sin alwayes, and wrath come upon them to the ut­most, 1 Thess. 2. 15, 16▪ (which the Spirit of God gives as a Cha­racter of a people filling up their measure.’

‘When a generation shall do­ingly blaspheme the Spirit of the Lord Iesus, calling it an unclean Spirit, Matt. 12. 24. 31. as the Pha­risees at that day call'd the Spirit by which Jesus Christ did preach, and pray, and wrought all his works, an unclean Spirit; when in their ordinary language they in­voke their damnation, and set their mouths against the Heavens; and the Spirit, and Holinesse, and Saints, becomes their by-word and their song, and entitle Satan to all the glorious works of Christ in Conversion, and call it all Delusi­on [Page 54] and Fanaticism; when they op­press, persecute, (and worse) the Saints and Servants of the Lord, filling Prisons with them; when they set themselves in the Throne of the Lord, and will be Lords in the Conscience, and make the Sons of Zion as the filth of the Earth; and all this after the Lord hath been pleading his Contro­versie with them, in very stupen­dious Dispensation, and by their hour of prosperity they are but hardened in their way, and say they are delivered to all their abo­minations; that is certainly a Gene­ration of God's wrath. Now among such a generation the Lord calls his people to retirment (into their Chambers) till his wrath come upon the wicked to the utmost, and he wil put in his sickle, & reap down their abominations, and none shall save them▪’

[Page 56]4. The Lord calls to retire­ment, that they may deal with him by faith and prayer, in their secret corners, and may wait for his teachings, &c. as may further be opened in the close of this Dis­course.

And thus we have endeavoured to cleare the point, That Jesus Christ calls his Followers from off the publike Stage, into a more retired condition, when, and why he doth it. I shall come to some use­ful conclusions, and so answer the objections and dis-satisfactions of any that lye against it.

1. If Jesus Christ doth some­times in his providential Dispensa­tions, call off his people to retire­ment, & puts them as into the holes of the Rock, then it wil follow that one Dispensation calls for that w^ch another doth not; the Lord calls for that at one time, w^ch he doth not at [Page 57] another, sometimes to a more open appearing in their publike services and actings for him, and administrati­ons of worship and prophesying, sometimes to a more open exposing to sufferings, and at another time the Word of the Lord is, Enter into thy Chambers, &c. shut thy doors about thee. So what hath been a duty for Saints in one day, hath not been so expresly (I mean the main generation of them) a duty at another; especial­ly in the later dispensations of the Lord towards the giving up of the Kingdom of the Beast, when the Lords controversion is now, and of his Kingdome, hath been with a high hand carrying on, as hath been shew­ed; In such a day the Lamb marcheth against his Enemies, and then re [...]reats, and sounds a Retreat to his called Ones; sometimes he faceth the beast, and then withdraws, and drinks of the Brook in the way; he coucheth like a Lyon, and then anon riseth up to pur­sue [Page 58] the prey: Here is the wisdom of the Saints, here is following the Lamb; this is to see his footsteps, to walk af­ter them.

2. Let it be therefore for an hum­ble enquiry at least, to all that are so­ber, to weigh what hath been hinted, and to consider if this be not the Word of the Lord at this day, whether Jesus Christ hath not sounded a retreat, whether he doth not call off from pub­like Prophesying, and more publike Ad­ministrations, (though the wickedness of men be instrumentally in it) yea whether the Testimony be not slain and lyes dead; and that all the Characters of it have a visible accomplishment at this day, a Testimony finished, Rev. 11. 7. to all the Offices of Jesus Christ, and of his Kingdom in the world, in all the concernments of it, and against the whole Mysterie of Iniquity, and of the Kingdom of the Beast, and that especially in this part of the world where the Spirit is given forth.

[Page 59]And when we had been looking for the fulfilling hereof, lo a Death up­on the whole, and the Witnesses lye as dead in all the parts of the world, let the place be named where an open testimony against all the abominati­ons of the Beast, against all their Na­tional wickednesses, and a testimony for the Lord Jesus in the whole of his Kingdom, as King of Saints and Na­tions will be born; though some Go­spel truths will be born, and are pra­ctised among them: Yea, what a strange healing up hath there been in all the Nations of Europe, among all the ten horns, a General Peace in the Kingdom of the Beast, not a Horn or Nation that wars against Babylon; not a hand lifted up against her in a way of War, to hate her, and make her desolate; but all preparations from the North and the West, husht up, levelled, and laid dead, when a few years since the Nations were all in a flame, as if the last distress had [Page 60] been upon them: But lo a healing up, a stilness, and the proud Whore sits as a Queen, glorifying her self that she shall see no sorrow, (which she fear­ed before) and shall not be a Wid [...]w, nor be made desolate. Which healing & Peace among the horns, is implyed in their sending gifts (by their Em­bassadors) one to another. Rev. 11. 10. because the People and Spirit which they most feared, is laid dead; the pro­phesying of ruine to the hastening up­on the Beast, and wrath upon the Na­tions, seems to have been but a fancy, and to come to nought; for behold, their prayers, witnessings, prophesy­ings, Armies, every where in the whole street of the City are come to nought. Is not this the triumph of the Nations at this day, and of the Beast?

Such as state the last slaughter of the witnesses to be already past, name­ly about the year 1558. when that ge­neral blow was given to the Prote­stant [Page 61] Interest in Germany, and other Nations, and by the Marian Persecu­tion in this Nation, have sufficient confutation by what hath since fallen out in several Nations, in the persecu­ting and slaying of the Witnesses in Poland, France, Ireland, &c. of late years; and the death that the whole Work of Christ is under at this day, it being clear, that when the last slaughter is past, and the lying dead three days and an half is over, in the Witnesse resurrection, that then they ascend [...] to Heaven, into a state of Liberty, Power and Glory, from which they fall no more; but the seventh An­gel sounds, and the third Wo cometh up­on the World (the last Plagues to be executed upon the Antichristian World, and Voices are heard in Heaven (amongst the Churches) proclaiming the Lord Jesus King of Nations; for that upon the resurrection of the Witnesses, and sounding of the se­venth Angel, the Lord Jesus comes [Page 62] forth to take to himself his great Power, and to reign, to contest with the Horns about his Soveraignty, to rule the Na­tions with a Rod of Iron, breaking them in pieces as a Porters Vessel; at which time (as some eminent Witness of the Lord have well stated it) The little Stone, cut out without hands (the separated Saints in the Nations) be­gins in a more especial manner to smi [...]e the Image, Dan. 2. 39. (for the Stone begins to smite upon the feet of the Image, the last part of the Roman Monarchy, which roes upon the feet ver. 41. are the s [...]me with the ten Horns, as Dan. 7. And the Stone smiting breaking in pieces▪ & consuming the King­doms (as the Spirit of God opens the meaning of the Stone, and its smiting, v. 44.) And in the dayes of these Kings, shall the God of Heaven set up a King­dom (the Kingdom of the Stone) which shall never be destroyed, and the Kingdom shall not be left to oth [...]r people, but it shall break in pieces, and consume [Page 63] all these Kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever) is interpreted further in the Vi­sion that Daniel himself had of the same thing, ch. 7. 22. 26 When Judge­ment is given to the Saints of the Most High; And ver. 26. The Judgement shall sit (the Saints judging the ten­horned Beast and his Kingdom) and they shall take away his Dominion to con­surne and to destroy it unto the end. But I do but hint here, what I may give a further account of in due time, to re­move the stumbling-blocks that lie in the way of many of the Lord's Peo­ple as to this glorious truth.

But I return to my enquiry, which is, that I humbly judge that the last slaying of the Witnes [...]es was not a­bout the time mentioned, for the rea­sons hinted (and others might be gi­ven) but rather, that great, sore blow upon the Protestant Interest, to be fix­ed upon that foot of account, namely, of the Beast making war with the Saints, and overcoming them, Rev. 13. 7. which [Page 64] War from the time of the Waldensian people he hath been carrying on, and overcome them: And so in Bohemia, Germany, &c▪ upon which Word are all the former Wars and Victories of the Beast to be stated, and not in refe­rence to the last slaughter, when the Beast makes War with the Witnesses, and kills them, and overcomes them; which is after a full testimony hath been finish­ed to all the Offices, Work and King­dom of our Lord Jesus, and then the Beast (such as are in the Spirit of the Beast, and influenced by him) rise up (by the wise and holy permission and ordering of the Lord to bring about his own glorious design) and slay the Testimony, lay it dead (especially in a civil sence) in that tenth part of the City where the killing most eminent­ly is (which is, where the most emi­nent Testimony for the Kingdom of Christ is the Spirit, hath been of any of the Nations) and so all publike pro­phesying, in an ordinary way, and with [Page 65] an allowed liberty becomes cut off, & the publike assembling of Churches supprest, in that tenth part of the City, so that the Work & Kingdom of Jesus Christ being likely to arise a few years since in the apprehension of most of the Saints, and to the terror of the Nations, lo it is laid dead; & say the sons of Babylon, we wil so bury it that it shall rise no more, though that will be found their great error.

I might [...]stance the Judgement of several ancient & holy Witnesses of Christ, who are now in the same ap­prehension as to this dispensation we are under, & of some who in the high­est day of our prosperity a few years since, spake of it as to come upon us; & also (as is humbly judg'd by som wor­thy servants of the Lord at this day, that a more then ordinary discovery & revelation hath been given forth to a worthy Minister of Christ, & some o­thers, that this is the 3. days & a half in w^ch the witnesses are to lie dead, w^ch I think meet only to hint at this time.

[Page 66]But if so, then the Word of the Lord is, Go and dye, as to ordinary, publike Prophesying; and 'tis the wis­dom of the Saints to submit to the Dispensation of God, and to be con­tent even to lye as dead men, in a civil sence, till the spirit of life from God enter, and a voice be heard in the pro­vidential workings of the Lord, Come up hither, Rev. 11. 12. And let it be so­berly considered whether the contra­ry practice be not to cross the very design of the Lord at this day, and to ruine the Churches and whole Interest of Jesus Christ, whose res [...]rrection and restauration we are patiently to wait for.

Yea, (whether this be the last slaying or not) 'tis worthy a serious Judgement to consider, That in the several Ages of Persecucion from the Apostles dayes (unless where some have been carryed forth by an extra­ordinary impulse of Spirit) the Pro­fessors and Churches of Christ met [Page 67] together in such a way as might most probably [...]nd to their preservation; in a private and retired way, in the best Wisdom they could; as the Di­sciples, John 20, 19. they were assem­bled in an upper Room for fear of the Jews: And the Church of Hierusal [...]m s [...]att [...]red abroad in parties in the several Provinces upon the Persecution, Acts 8. when they began to be hal [...]d to prison from their Meetings; and those that remained, kept in a private way, Acts 12. And so we find the Christi­ans assembling secretly, & by night, as they had opportunity: As that Congregation that continued together in Q. Mary's dayes in London, and kept up their Meetings secretly, and were wonderfully preserved in that day; though (as I may presently shew) 'tis hard to give out any general, ab­solute Rule in this case: But 'tis cer­tain, this was their ordinary practice: The reasons hereof have been spoken to. It may further be added, that in [Page 68] such a retired way, they shall not so much dare and provoke the civil Ma­gistrate to greater wrath against them, and not lay a stumbling block in their way, but seem more to walk in the meekness of Jesus Christ; and 'tis the liberty that Jesus Christ doth indulge them, and answers his promise of preserving, and being a Sanctuary to a holy Seed from one generation to another, and not to be exposed to the blood thirstiness and rage of their per­secutors, though still honoring himself by the suffering of some.

And as this hath been the practise of the Churches of Christ in times of persecution, so of particular Ministers and Witnesses of the Lord in all ages, namely, as they were led by the spirit of the Lord to retire from particular persecution, especially when their case was different from the rest of the saints as in som ages it hath bin; the first blow was at the Ministers of Christ; so Mo­ses fled before the face of Pharoah, and [Page 69] dwelt in the Land of Midean till the time of deliverance came to the Israelites in Aegypt, Exod. 2. 15.

So David from the persecution of Saul, who retired into the Wilderness, where the Lord hid him, till the time that the promise should be fulfilled in his reign over Israel, 1 Sam. 19. 18. though in his retirement he was deprived of the Insti­tutions of the Worship of God in the temple, as he complains complains in several Psalms.

Elijah had given an eminent Testimony against Ahab, and the abominations of that day, and prophesied the wrath of God to come upon Israel. But when he knew the mischief that Ahab intended, and he had finished his Testimony, the Lord commands him to go and hi [...]e himself, 1 Kings 17. 2. & 8. and Chap▪ 10. 10▪ And we know Elijah was an emi­nent Type of the Witnesses of Jesus Christ under the New-Testament Baby­lon; though in the third year when it should rain again▪ according to the word of the Lord (which made way for Elijah's appearance) he shewed himself to Ahab, and God was with him to deliver him: But when Jezebel sought after him again, ch. 19. he went into the Wilderness, and hid himsel in a Cave, v. 9.

[Page 71]At the same time before the three years were finished, and the Persecu­tion by Jezebel continued against all the Lords Prophets, 1 King. 18. Obadiah hid the Prophets by 50. in a Cave, who at other times were publikely prophe­sying.

So when the King had sent out a Warrant and Officers to take Jeremiah and Baruch, Jer. 36. 26. 'tis said, The Lord HID them; which implied their own retirement at that time.

So our Lord Jesus himself, when he heard that John was cast into Prison, he retired into Galilee, Matth. 4. 12▪ And when he further heard that he was beheaded, he withdrew into a de­sert place, Mat. 14. 13. And so when the Jews sought to kill him, &c. till his hour was come; which places are ordinarily urged by interpreters upon them for the case in hand.

So our Lord Jesus allows his Dis­ciples, Matth. 10. when he sent them forth as sheep among wolves, ver. 10. [Page 70] that they should then be wise as Ser­pents, walk with such a wisdom as be­comes sheep among Wolves, which is not rashly to put themselves into the mouth of the Wolf. And ver. 17. bids them beware of men; and then, be­ing persecuted into one City, [...]o flye unto another, v. 23. the [...] that word being to direct them, that when Ru­lers by their Edicts will not suffer them to preach in one place, they might go to another; if not in pub­like, then in private, and from House to House, as the providence of God should lead them.

When the Jews sought for Paul at Damascus, the Disciples did not press him to expose himself to be delivered up into their hands, in appearing o­penly there, but on the contrary, at a hard rate conveyed him away, Acts 9. 23. 2 Cor. 11. 32. In Damascus, the Governor under Artas the King, kept the City with a Garrison, desirous to ap­prehend me; and through a Window in a [Page 72] basket was I let down by the wall, I esca­ped his hands: which the Apostle there sets down among his persecutions; when the Governor of the City would have apprended him, he thought good, and the Saints with him so judged, to withdraw, and yet he was not judged unfaithful or fearful in so doing. So Acts 14. when Paul and Barnabas had spoken holdly in the Lord, for a time at Iconium, when they understood that the Jews and Gentiles with them made an assault (at their meeting) to use them despightfully, and to stone them, they were ware of it, (they thought it ground enough that they were ware of it) and so fled into the next Pro­vince into Lystra▪ When the Jews laid wait for him, Act. 20. 3. he went not into Syria, but returned thorow Macedon [...]a. And when the Jews had gathered a company of lewd fallows to assault the meeting at Jas [...]ns house, Paul and Sylas withdrew, Act. 17. 5, 6. for, they found them no [...], ver. 6. And at Berea, [Page 73] the Brethren sent away Paul, ver. 14.

So when he would have hazarded himself, the Disciples suffered him not, Act. 19▪ 30. And when he would go up to Jerusalem, all the Saints besought him not to go (judging in an ordinary way he ought not,) till they nnder­stood that Paul was under an extraor­dinary impulse of Spirit to go, and then they ceased.

The case of those famous Ministers and witnesses of Christ at theSee Book of Matt▪ beginning of Q. Maries perse­cution, who preached not af­ter the Queens Inhibition and Procla­mation, though it were not a binding Law, as appears by the Declaration of their Faith they gave forth when prisoners in the Kings Bench, in which they thus express themselves; ‘We are not here in prisons as Trai [...]ors, or seditious persons, or transgressors of any Laws of this Realm; Inhibitions, Proclamations, or Commandments of the Queens Highness, or of any of [Page 74] the Councils, God's Name be prai­sed therefore, &c.’ Subscribed by Dr. Taylor, Philpot, Bradford, Hooper, Ro­gers, Saunders, &c. the most eminent Ministers and Martyrs of that day, who it appears preached not publick­ly after the Proclamation and Act of Parliament, but were committed, as having been men famous in King Ed­wards days, and had preached to warn the people against Popery, in the in­terval, before the Proclamation was published, and were taken after, and were put to death because they would not deny the Truth they had formerly preached; which the servants of Christ at this day hope (through grace) they shal not do, if called to a tryal there­of; and how far several of the ser­vants of the Lord have exposed them­selves, notwithstanding a former Pro­clamation, and the latter Act of Par­liament, and particular charges that way lye against some of them, sober Christians may judge, and not passio­nately [Page 75] censure any of them; and the due consideration thereof, and of what hath been said in this case; may be more then enough to remove their prejudice, or mistaken herein.

So that here is both precept, and multiplied examples both of the Old and New Testament, of the Prophets and Apostles, and the ordinary Mini­sters of Christ, that when particular and personal persecution hath been a­gainst them, a design to apprehend them, and a lying in wait for them, they have at such a time withdrawn, and retired themselvs from their more publick Ministry.

In the ordinary providence of God, these Reasons of it may be instanced:

1. When publick Preachers are sent to preach to the world, and the people will not receive them, but per­secute them, they, after some patient waiting, may withdraw for a testimony against them, Mat. 10. 14. which is too [Page 76] often the case of the servants of Christ, though it doth not fully reach the case in hand.

2. When the Lord Jesus hath more wo [...]k and service for his servants,, and will preserve them to a day of liberty (as hath been shewed of the whole generation of Saints) then he hath u­sed to hide them by his gracious pro­vidence in a wonderful manner, and hath called them off from the publick stage, and kept them in the midst of the persecutions they have been under, or snatcht them out of them, as abundant instances might be given; so it is pro­phesied, Isa. 30. 20 That their teachers should be removed into corne [...]s, till the Captivity was over, &c.

3. In mercy to the Churches, that the liberties and lives of the servants of Christ may be preserved, to serve them more publickly when the Lord by his [Page 77] providence shal make way; and in the mean time may be useful to the Chur­ches in a more private way; and not to spend them (in a kind of passionate courage) upon the implacable fury of their persecutors: whence it was, that the Disciples at Cesarea so passionate­ly besought Paul not to go up to Hie­rusalem; And when he would have en­tred in among the people, the Disci­ples suffered him not.

This may suffice to state and clear this case [...]o the consciences of such as may be differently minded herein, which may at least call for a mutual forbearance in love, and that Satan get not an advantage to stir up heats, heighten prejudices, beget a greater distance among the people of God; and so in stead of closing, widen the sad breaches that have been amongst us,

[Page 78]And yet when I have thus stated this case, that the call of Jesus Christ may be to retire; and that 'tis lawful upon particular personal persecution, for the Ministers of Christ to do so; yet I also say with blessed Bucer, as he states this case on the 4th. of Matth. upon our Saviour's retirement, That there can be no absolute, binding, unlimited Rule laid down in this case, that shall be binding in all times, and to all persons. And 'tis hard for others to determine when a servant of Christ may more honour the Lord by retire­ment or by a publike exposing himself▪ Every man in such a case is to give up himself to the leading of the Spirit of the Lord, which hath carried some of the servants of Christ in one way, and some in another, in all times of persecution accordingly, as Christ will be glorified by them. Though the same Bucer (who also retired in the Germane persecution) concludes thus: ‘Where by retirement & flight thou [Page 79] mayest see an advantage of honoring Christ (tuae te horae servans) by with­drawing thou dost as Christ himself did, and as Paul at Damascus.’

Yet that the minds of Saints may be fully satisfied herein, I will consider what is usually urged by some to the contrary.

Obj. How do the servants of the Lord give forth a full Testimony, if they retire when Edicts are given forth against them, seeing 'tis said they overcome by the Wo [...]d of their Testimo­ny, Rev. 12. That we may therefore consider how far this may reach, and when Saints may be said to keep the Commandments of God, and to have the Testimony of Iesus Christ, ver. last.

1. A Testimony is given first by the Preachers & Witnesses of Christ, by discovering the sins and the Anti­christian abominations of the age & day they live in, and witnessing for all the Offices, Worship, Kingdom of [Page 80] Jesus Christ, according to the Scrip­ture, as the Spirit of the Lord gives light, and acts them thereunto; and as the Providence of God opens a door to them: Blessed be the Father of Spirits, that through the Grace and Power of the Lord Jesus such a Testi­mony hath been given sorth; to the glo­ry of God, the conviction and esta­blishment (as is hoped) of the people of God, which testimony, no doubt, the Lord will make good in his best time; and which they leave with God, being satisfied they are called by the providence of God to a more reti­red way.

2. All other Saints do keep the Te­stimony of Jesus (and the Command­ments of God as opposed to the Com­mands of men in the matters of Christ and his Worship) when they are (through the teaching of the Spirit in the Word, and the Power of the same Spirit resting upon them) kept from partaking of the sins, polutions, and Anti-christian [Page 81] abominations of false Wor­ship which men would impose upon them, Acts 2. 40. Save your selves from this untoward generation, Eph. 5: 7. Be not ye therefore partakers with them, v. 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, &c. Touch not the u [...]clean thing, be ye separate, 2. Cor. 6 Come out of her my pe [...]ple, that ye be not pa tak [...]rs of her sins, that ye receive not of her plagues, Rev. 18. 4.

When the professing people shall obey the Lord in such words as these, and not defile themselves, nor pro­voke the Lord to jealousie against them, this is a good Testimony, and such Saints who call for extremities from others, may find this to be a Testimony hard enough to be kept, when they are tryed, as th [...]y have in lesser matters already.

[Page 82]This Testimony the 7000. kept in Samaria, that bowed not their knee to Baal, and God accepted them in it. ‘And let all the Ministers of Christ who would approve themselves as such, to God and his people; take heed that they are faithful in this te­stimony (as well as others of the people of God) and that under pre­tence of having the liberty of their Ministry, they are not found in com­pliance, with Humane Invention [...], against light, to render themselves a scorn to the prophane, and a grief and stumbling block to the godly, especially when such eminent and severe strokes from Heaven have been upon many for so doing.’

3. Saints do keep the Testimony of Jesus Christ when they are found in the practice of Christ's appointments, though in a more private way, which is a testimony against the persecutions of the World, and the abominations thereof, as the primitive Christians practised.

[Page 83]4. Saints do keep the word of Te­stimony when any of them are cal­led before men, for not partaking in false ways of Worship, and being so called, do not deny the truth, but con­fess it before man, M [...]t [...]h. 10. 32, 33. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will [...] co [...]fess b [...]fore my Father which is in Heaven; But whosoever shall deny me before men, him nill I also deny [...]efore my Father w [...]ich is in Heaven. So [...]s said, I [...]sus Christ wi [...]nessed a good [...]n [...]ssion before Po [...]tius Pilate, 1 Tim 6 Though in this case also, 'tis not easie to lay down the u [...]most extent of du­ty; sometimes the Witnesses of Christ have [...]eely and openly, upon their convention and examination, without any proof against them, witnes [...]ed to the whole t [...]uth and ma [...]er of Fact, as carryed [...]orth, 'tis to be charitably judged by the Spirit of the Lord thereto, as in Stephens case, and Peter's Acts 3.

[Page 84]Others have kept silence; and held their persecutors to proof of matter of Fact against them; yet so as they would not deny the Truth, which is a Testimony to it. Now such a witness­bearing before the Judicatories of men, as the Spirit of the Lord carries forth our spirits, is another way of having the Testimony of Jesus Christ.

Now if the Lord help this genera­tion of his people to be faithful to their Light in these particulars, they shall be found the Lambs followers, keeping the Commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus▪

But for any to judge, that nothing else is a finishing a faithful testimony, (but for the servants of Christ to put themselves into the mouths of those whom they know wait to devour them, and have laid a snare for them, [Page 85] and that such are un [...]aithful, or fearful, or worse) that think i [...] not their duty; certainly when good [...]ouls are come to themselves, and shall particu [...]ly know and weigh the cases of the Lord's poor servants, (without which 'tis unreasonable to judge) we shall all have a tender hearted forbearance one of another, as that case re­quires.

Obj. 2. But was not this the pra­ctice of the Apostles, Acts 4. when commmanded not to preach any more in the Name of the Lord Jesus, they answered, They [...]ught to obey God rather than men.

Ans. 1. I humbly conceive, that the servants of God at this day if they were in the like manner called before Magistrates, and were charged by them, as the Apostles were, namely, Not to preach at all, nor to teach in the Name of Jesus (for so it was, they would [Page 86] answer as the Apostles did, & would continue preaching, where the provi­dence of God opened a way to them, as they did.

2: We do not find it exprest that Peter and John preached openly in the Temple after that, though they witnes­sed and preached elsewhere, until the Angel of the Lord opened the Prison doors, and commanded them to go and speak in the Temple, Acts 5.

3. The Apostles having an extraor­dinary Annointing, were to witness to all Nations that they had seen the Lord, and that he was risen from the dead; which is not the case of every particular Minister: They went and preach't by the special dictate of the holy Spirit in one place, and not in a­nother; 'tis not so with ordinary Prea­chers: And the same Spirit that led them forth sometimes to expose themselves to hazards, at another time led them to withdraw from dan­ger, as hath been shewed. Besides, it [Page 87] doth not appear that there was any more than a meer prohibition not to preach, to Peter and John, by the Council of the Iews, without any pe­nalty of imprisonment or banishment expressed.

3. Obj. Is not there a strict com­mand, that the Professors of Christ should not forsake the assembling them­selves together, Heb. 10.

Ans. Let it be considered what for­saking of assembling this was; It was the departing from all Christian wor­ship and fellowship; a casting off their p [...]ofession, as ver. 23. Let us hold fast our profession: such a forsaking, as was a leading to an Apostacy, as is clear in the following verses; For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the Truth, &c. which is annexed as a reason of not forsaking their assembling; this will not be judg­ed the present case.

2. Saints therefore do not forsake their assembling, in that sence while [Page 88] they hold fast their profession, and la­bour to keep up, worship in a more private way, where they may likely assemble more peaceably, and with less distraction▪ for so those Hebrews did, and all the Churches, as hath been shewed.

Meeting is a duty; but meeting o­penly is an accidental thing.

4. Obj. But▪ how are the servants of Christ consistent to their own Do­ctrine, who press others to be parta­kers of the sufferings of Christ, and would prepare them for it; when they do not expose themselves to the ut­most.

Ans. There may be a prodigal cast­ing away of liberty or life, as well as a giving them up upon the Call of God; 'Tis certain, that 'tis a duty to offer up every Isaac to the Lord when he Calls for it, but we must see our Call to be clear: we should through grace be ready rather to suffer the loss of all things, then to deny the truth, and to [Page 89] follow▪ the providential leadings of God thereto: But that 'tis our duty and call from the Lord to continue publikely witnessi [...]g▪ and to expose our selves to the utmost hazards, rather then give place▪ though we know the snare is laid for us, and we in all like­lihood put an end to our Work in so doing, is not yet proved to our Con­sciences from any Word of God; but indeed the contrary is cleare to them.

If it be said, that the judgement of some Saints is a Call herein; I an­swer, That the Judgement of many more may be put in the ballance against them, who judge otherwise▪ which may have as great, or it may be a greater weight with them.

Obj. 5. But did not Daniel worship openly notwithstanding the Decree, Dan. 6.

Ans. Whatever is said to the con­trary, [Page 90] it will easily appear that the pro­hibition and Decree was, that Daniel should not pray unto his God at all, as v. 7. That whosoever shall ask a Petition of any God or man for thirty dayes, save of thee Oh King, &c. Not that Daniel and the Jews should not pray towards Je­rusalem: So that the Decree concern­ed natural moral Worship, and not positive instituted Worship, which may sometimes be dispensed with.

2. Daniel in this case had an extraor­dinary Annointing upon him, as a Pro­phet, which carried him forth in this particular, which in every circumstance is not to be made a standing Rule: Besides, we do not hear of such an open appearing of the rest of the people of God then in Babylon.

And let it be seriously considered, that sometimes God hath indulged his people in the matter of positive Insti­tutions; as the Israelites in Egypt, who were obliged to sacrificing, if they could have had liberty; but we do not find it practised while they were in Egypt: [Page 91] So of Circumcision in the Wilderness there was an indulgence of it; and that rolling away the reproach of Egypt, mentioned at their circumcision; Josh. 5. 9. was not the reproach (as some learned Interpreters judge) of not being circumcised, but of not being brought for so many years, into the promised Land, which 'tis like the Egyp ians reproached Israel with. So the Building of the Temple (which was Institution) ceased, Ez [...]a 4. last. upon the prohibition till the 2d. year of Darius, whose indulgence they might have soon had, but neglected it, and built their own houses, and were reproved by the Prophets for their ne­glect therein.

And that word (as urged by blessed Mr. Burroughs in this case, and other of the Servants of Christ) is not to be slighted, Mal. 9. I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, which may wel hold forth this, That the Lord hath more respect to a Work of Mercy, than to a Sa­crifice; [Page 92] a lawful preservation of a man's self is a moral duty; a work of mercy not only to himself, but others; to which end a Sacrifice of instituted Worship at certain times, and in some cases may be omitted.

Obj. 6. But 'tis objected, That the case is not the same with that of our Saviour and the Apostles, whose lives were in hazard, but now it is not so, the Liberties and Livelyhoods of the Ministers of Christ are onely endan­gered.

Ans. 1. The loss of liberty & live­lyhood, with the ruine of their Fami­lies, is as a l [...]sser death, the preservation of which is a moral duty.

But, let the case well be considered, what three Months Impriso [...]ment in such nasty holes as the Lon [...]on Prisons are, and it may be understood to a­mount to little less than life; and upon what terms liberty may be had at the three Months end, is not so easie to [Page 93] determine; it cost one emi­nent Mr. S. Minister his life al­ready. But if it be stated to be onely the loss of liberty, it will be a tender case of Conscience, whe­ther for once or twice appearing in publike, a Minister is to hazard his service of the C [...]u [...]ches a [...]d People of God, to whom h [...] may be useful in a more private way.

Obj. 7. But such a withdrawing may be a [...] offence [...]o some S [...]ints, though most othe [...] be sat [...]fied.

Ans. I sh [...]ll here speak a little to the case o [...] offences, because Satan hath formerly had great advantage upon the Spirits of the L [...]rd's people this way.

1. There are o [...]ces that com by the ungodly, per [...]ecuting world, who lay stumbling blocks in the way of the peo­ple of God by their persecuting them; to such it is said, Wo to the [...]orld because of offences, Mat. 18. Saints are not sure­ly to pronounce those woes one upon another upon different apprehensions of duty.

[Page 94]2. There are offences that arise among the Churches and people of God themselves; such are,

1▪ Either really given one to ano­ther. Or

2dly, Through misunderstanding, weak [...]ess, passion or temptation, are un­duly taken, and not given.

1. Concerning the former, namely, offences really given (which will too of­ten be, while we s [...]e but in pa [...]t, and are holy but in part) the Spirit of God calls for all forbea [...]ance, compassion and restoring one another, and bearing one anothers burdens, according to the Royal Law of L [...]v [...], Gal. 6. 1, 2. Eph. 4. Ph [...]l. 2. Col. 3. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 8. [...]rom which Scrip [...]ures let Saints and Mem­bers of Churches learn what Spirit and carriage is required one of ano­ther in case of offences; which through miscarriages, mistakes and hours of temptations, will befall the poor children of God while they are in the flesh, and therefore do call for [Page 95] such an exercise of grace one towards another; and not for rigid censuring, debasing, treading one anothers names under their feet (or worse) if it may be) which are fruits of the flesh, and of the pride of our own hearts, when we set up a Throne in our own spi­rits, and all must bow and [...]all down to it, to be judged either as to mat­ter of Judgement or Practise, and wonderfully please our selves in it, which will not well consist with a wel humbled heart.

2. There are Offences upon the Spirits of Saints, that are taken, but not really given, through weakness of Judgement, mis-guided Zeale, Rashness and Passions, and not attending to a well studyed and rightly informed Judgement; where­by the Tempter waits to stumble good sculs, and to hinder their peace and communion with the Lord.

[Page 96]Hence▪ the Wisdom of God take [...] special notice of the evils that befall the spirits of men in this case; A Bro­ther offe [...]ded, is ha [...]der to be non than a strong City, and their conte [...]tio [...]s are li [...]e [...]e [...]rs of a Castle, Prov. 18. 19.

Yea, let it be seriously attended to by all that fear the Lord, whether all the Teachers that have been among the People of God, have not ri [...]e [...] either for want of a compassiona [...] bearing of offences given, or by taking offences unduly, when not really gi­ven, and by which Satan hath been gra [...]fied, and the u [...]converted world hath been stumbled; and all for want of thorough-heart [...]umiliati­on, Wisdom, Love in the Spirit, whereby they should be able to [...]udge [...]oberly, and walk in peace, as becometh Saints.

But oftentimes this temptation [Page 97] hath not rested here, but as it hath been observed by holy men, that all backfliding and apostacy begins in ta­king offence, first offended at one thing or person, then at another; and [...]o at more, till they drink in prejudice against the Servants of the Lord, and the Way they walk in▪ [...]l from all sound and search­ing Ministery, and so run from M [...]u [...]tain to Hill, from one thing to another, till they come to no­thing▪ un [...]ess the Lord in rich [...] [...]cov [...]r them by a sound W [...]rk of Humiliation upon them. [...] laid in that Parable Matthew 1 [...]. 12. That he that hath not r [...]ot in hi [...]self in [...] time of persecution, is offen [...]. Various wayes hath Sa­tan to offend and stumble them: Our Lord Jesus warned his Disci­ples of this, Matth. 26. 31. Then saith J [...]sus unto them, All [...]e shall be offended because of me this Night, &c.

[Page 98]And when the Lord promiseth to bring back the Captivity of his people, he saith to his servants, Cast ye up, cast ye up; prepare ye the way; take up the stumbling block out of the way of my peo­ple; Then will the Lord remove their offences, and heal their spirits, and they shal walk on in the way to Zio [...], and shall not stumble any more.

Obj. 8. But doth it not proceed from carnal fear in such, as judge that retirement is the duty of this day.

Ans. A grain more of love may cast it, that the Lord's servants, and such of the Churches that so judge and walk, do walk after their light, con­viction, and satisfaction of conscience, which happily a little time may deter­mine.

Truly most of the sons of men have an Absoloms spirit, and say in our hearts, What would I do, if I were in such, or such an ones case? wherein our own hearts wonderfully deceive [Page 99] us. Yet if any of the servants of the Lord have a more then ordinary im­pulse of spirit at this time, (as it may be some have had, since this dispensa­tion of giving in their testimony) 'tis b [...]st to leave them to the Lord, with­out judging each other.

Concerning the Ministers of Christ, I would humbly say thus much; That i [...] they shal be found in their particular practice faithful to the light and te­stimony they have given forth, through the same grace upon them, and chuse the greatest of sufferings rather then defile themselves, and continue edify­ing of the Saints and Churches of God in a more private way, as they have opportunity, I humbly judge they shal be accepted with the Lord as his faithful witnesses, and be just fied in the consciences of all serious people; especially when the issue of this dis­pensation shall be made manifest.

[Page 100]And thus have we stated this case, we hope, according to Scripture light, and leave it with the Lord, to make it a blessing to any of his.

But what doth the Lord call for, by way of duty, of all his people in a time of retireme [...].

1. To sp [...]ak often one to another, Mal. 3. It was a time when there was hardly a Priest to speak publickly to them, but such as corrupted [...]he worship of the Lord: Then they that feared the Lord spake often o [...]e to ano [...]her, an [...] the Lord bearkened and hea [...]d it, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that se [...]red the Lord, and that thought upon his Name. They had great thoughts of heart for the Name of their God, and they spake, no doubt, of his dispensation, and of the signs of the times, and what he call'd for, to strengthen, settle, and comfort one [Page 101] another; this is the practice Saints should be serious and conscientious, and often in, in such a day, and so keep up the practice of Ordinances a­mong them.

2. To bee found as the mourn [...]rs of Z [...]on: In the day of Zions breach and Captivity, the promise of mer­cy runs to her m [...]urn [...]rs, to the hum­ble and contrite ones, Isa. 57. 15. & 18. with those hee will dwell, those hee will revive and heal. Hee wi [...]l not c [...]ntend always; lest their spirit fail; but will restore comfort to the m [...]u [...]ners. So [...]saiah Chap. 61▪ ver. 2, 3. And Chapter 60▪ vers. 10. This was Jeremiahs▪ spirit, In that day, Jeremiah 14▪ ver. 17. let mine eyes run down with tears, and let th [...]m not cease; for the Virgins Daughter of my p [...]ople is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous [...]l [...]w.

[Page 102]Oh that the Lord would give down this Spirit upon his people; as we would call for a Spirit of Bravery and Courage, which in its season is honorable, and hath appeared upon many of the Ministers of Christ) so let us call upon one another for this Spirit also, to be found mourning apart, and together in our retire­ments, for the abominations and blas­phemies of the land, for our former un profitableness, unholiness, security, formality, hypocrisie, pride of life, divisions, frowardness, back shdings, breach of Vows and Covenants with the Lord, self-seekings in the manage­ment of the precious cause of the Lord Jesus, which now lieth as cruci­fied: Oh! do we mourn over it, as wel as talk of it?

3. Jesus Christ calls to heart­searching: In such a day is every one to be retiring into their own hearts, and finding out the plague of them, Lam. 3. 40. In the day of their capti­vity, [Page 103] then saith the Prophet, let us search and try our ways, &c.

Then is every one to be awakening his own heart, every soul attending to a renewed repentance and humility, to renewed mortification in the spirit, that it may be as a day of a new conver­sion upon all our spirits.

4. In such a day, Jesus Christ calls his to uniting, that we get all our pre­judices to be removed and healed, though under different measures of light; as we are upon the enquiry of our way to Zion (after the long night of Antichristian darkness) we have many stones in our way, and much re­maining darkness) upon our spirits, and the Lord gives out light gradually to his people in the Churches restoration, which calls for a mutual forbearance from all, that would see the beauty of Zion, and press after it, and not im­posing [Page 104] one upon another, much less devouring one another by the way. Ah! when our spirits are more melt­ed by the Gospel, and we are more in the spirit of the Gospel, it shall be so; then shall wee know one another as Saints, and upon that account have Communion together, and not bee bound up to any Form, and make it a Law of Communion, which is in­deed no better then a dreg of christia [...]ism upon our spirits. Union with the Lord Jesus is the ground of fellowship with him, and lo [...]t sh [...]uld be one with another, 1. Joh. 1▪ 3 Let us all contend together for the great in­terest of the [...]ospel; power of God­liness, purity of Worsh [...]p as as the great and common interest of all that fear the Lord.

5. In retiring times the Lord calls to much secret duty, especially of pray­er; Cant. 2. 14. Oh my Dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, &c. Jesus Christ [Page 105] behold his Dove in the clifts of the Rock in her retirement) as hid from the wrath of her Enemies) and there she mourns in a Dove [...]ike spirit, and the Lord delights to see her face, and hear her voice.

Some have more fully heard what great things single Saints have [...]one in prayer for the people of God, how they have prevailed with God, as J [...] ­cob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David. E­lijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, &c. in their several generations, who were men of like passions with us: Let me alone, saith the Lord to one Moses. E­very praying soul should be so awake­ned and engaged in this Work at this day, as if the whole lay upon his, or her shoulders; as if his cryes (even a­lone) were to prevail for Zion's deli­verance.

Oh my dear Companions in the Kingdome and Patience of Jeius Christ, cry mightily, and sigh with [...]itrerness and unutterable groans, [Page 106] pour out your souls as water before the Lord, because of the sinne and breach of the people of your God; Oh cry for Healing for Zion▪ cry for your Bread, those precious Gospel­feedings of which you are bereft; cry against Babylon, and the Horns that are pouring ou [...] the blood of your Bre­thren: Cry [...]or the ruine of the Beasts Kingdom, and the exaltation of the Throne of Jesus Christ in the world. 'Tis said Dan. 7. 13. One like the Son of Man came to the Ancient of Dayes, and they brought him near before him. Saints by Faith and Prayer do bring the Son of Man near before the Father; And then there was given him Dominion, Glo­ry, and a Kingdom, that all People, Na­tions and Languages should serve him, ver. 14.

If such a Spirit be given forth in the entering into our Chambers, verily the wind thereof shall put such an Earth­quake into the tenth part of the City, and the Foundations that are now laying, [Page 107] that it shall be like a breach, ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose br [...]ak­ing come [...]h suddenly a [...] ani [...]stant. Isa. 30 13. 14. And the Adversaries of the Lord shall not see whence their blow cometh. Certainly never did such a praying generation miscarry.

6. In retiring times the People of God should walk w [...]sely, at such a time when a man is made an offendor for a word: Let us all labour to do all in the Wisdom of Jesus Christ, in our walking towards the World, in [...] assembling, in our particular walk­ings, in our silence and in our speaking▪ lest not onely themselves, but their Brethren also suffer by their weakness and folly: Whoso [...]lketh wisely, shall be delivered, Prov. 28. 26.

7. In retiring times Jesus Christ calls for bowels towards the affl [...]ctions and necessities of Brethren; this is a special duty of the day; some thou­sands [Page 108] of Families are bereft of their bread, while the Lord hath spared to others a full portion, not onely in m [...]r [...]y to themselves, but to be a bles­sing to their distressed Brethren. Bles­sed be the Lord for what he hath done upon the spirit of his servants in this thing already; A [...] the distress will en­crease, so should the hearts and bow­els of such in whose hand it is, be en­larged, else let not them think to par­take of the day of mercy, if they shew no mercy to their Brethren, when the present dispensation so eminently calls for it. A blast from Heaven wil come forth upon the Estates, Families, Names, Spirits of such professors who with-hold bread from the hun­gry, and cast it not upon the waters in such a day. Never was such an oppor­tunity put into the hands of any gene­rations, to shew much kindnesse to Christ and his Saints, as at this day, never such a time to lay up much trea­sure in Heaven▪ [Page 109] 8. The day calls for resignment to the will of God, to suffer or to do according to his good pleasure. The Lord hath triumphed in some of his suffering ones, who have gloriously overcome by the Blood of the Lamb; not loving their lives [...]to the death; 'tis possible some others may be called forth in the same way, many to pri­sons, and much hardship; Oh! let us be resigned up to the will of Jesus Christ, to be contented he should glo­rifi [...] himself upon us which way hee pleaseth: Live upon that faithful saying, 2 Tim. 2. v [...]r. 11, 12. If we suffer with him, we shall also re [...]gn w [...]th him; what more can be [...]esired▪

You have the p [...]mise of Jesus Christ to be with you in what he calls you to, and you have the rich experi­ence of your Brethren of his faithful­ness therein, who triumphed over death, in a spirit of glory that was [Page 110] upon them; for the Lords Prisoners, even in every Prison of England, their hearts are full of the praises of the Lord, crying (to the amazement of their Persecutors) Blessed be the Lord for a Prison; let not our Brethren be discouraged, for Christ w [...]ll meet them, and walk with them there: This may quiet the hearts of all Saints, and not be troubled, in case the Providence of God so dispose of them; and yet they are to walk wisely in this, not exposing themselvs beyond what they see the Lord clear­ly calling themto, and their own con­science satisfied therein: A good Cause, a good Call, & a good Con­science makes a mans sufferings sweet to him. A servant of Christ may be in a good Cause, and in a good work, in a Christian du [...]y, ye [...] no [...] have a clear Call at that time and season to it.

[Page 111]9. The Lord calls for Cruci [...]ied­ness to the world; a weanedness from all Creature comforts; Redemption from all Earthly Interests, that their hearts be loosned from them. The world was got into the hearts of Pro­fessors, now it must be cast out, and the heart crucified to it, if they think to follow the Lamb at this day. Let every Believer improve his fellowship with the death of Jesus Christ to this purpose, and by Faith realize Christ, and heaven, and glory, and for the heart to feed upon them, that the world be not as a weight upon their spirits; which hath already drowned, ensnared, perverted too many, and is the very bane of profession, if not to the falling short of the Kingdom of God, yet as to their own comfort, & their serving the Lord in their Gene­ration. Jesus Christ never much ho­nored a worldly Professor, or if so, if the world at last [...]ook hold of him, [...] b [...]ast w [...]s upon him.

[Page 112]1. In retiring times the Lord calls to waiting, a patient waiting; I charge you that you sleep not, nor awake my Lov [...]till he please, saith the Spouse, Cant. [...]. 7. The Soouse was contented to wait for him: That word of Es [...]y chap. 52. 12. should be pondered by all that fear the Lord; For ye shall not go out in hast, nor go by flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your Re [...]eward. The word refers to the day of the Captivity; they should not go out by hast, but see the Lord going before them by some signal providence or other, as a call to them to go forth: Then the Lord faith he would be their Rereward, though the Enemy pursue them, they should not be able to harm them; the Lord in some Cloud or Pillar of Providence or other, will call [...]orth his People, and they shall hear his voice, and follow him.

[Page 113]Precipitancy is the issue of unbe­lief, men do not hang upon the Arm of the Lord, when impatiency carries them to such precipitancy.

Specially let us take heed to this, When the Lord is casting in such Harbingers as fore-runners of his com­ing, by signs and wonders in the Hea­ven [...], and on the Earth, and on the Seas; yea, it may be by special Visi­sion to some of his Servants, and the expectation of Saints generally raised to look for him. Oh let us wait, for he will bring distresse upon his Enemies, that they shall walk as blind men; Neither shall their silver nor their Gold be able to deliver them in the Day of the Lords Wrath upon t [...]em, Zeph. 1. 17. For behold the Lord cometh out of his place, to punish the inhabitants of the Earth for their ini­quity, and the Earth shall disclose her [...]lood. Isa. 2 [...] ▪ v. last.

[Page 114]11. As Saints are patiently to wait, so also to take heed that they do not fall asleep: I say, the Lord delayeth, &c to let them be girt up, as expecting their Lord calls▪ and be ready to follow him wheresoever he goe [...]h, &c. let them not say in their hearts, that the Lord hath for [...]aken his people, that he is carrying the gospel from England, that it is like to be as in the Bo [...]emian day; and so be consulting to make haste by flight into other Countr [...]ys (unless such whose case may be pe [...]uliar) ve­rily this would be for a provocation; this would be the bitter fruit o [...] unbe­lief: lo, the Lord will hide you in your own land, and keep you as the apple of his Eye, (hid [...] thy selfe as it were for a little moment) fre [...] not against the Lord, though you are called off from your publike Assemblies, and your Ministers laid as dead: Verily the Lord, who holdeth his Stars in his right hand, will cause them to shine [...]orth again, and they shall give a more [Page 115] glorious light; the Lord will be a­gainst the foolish Shepheards that would devour the Flock, and wil de­liver them out of their mouths, and he will make them as the dung of the Earth; they shall no more speak l [...]es in the Name of the Lord; but the Haile­strom shall sweep away the refuge of lyes, and the eyes of this generation shall see it. Be making ready for the glorious appearance of the Lord, and cry, Mak [...] hast my bel [...]ved, and be thou l [...]ke [...]o [...] Roe, or to a young Hart upon the Mountains of Spices.

12. Wait for an Annointing of Light, Zeal and Magnanimity, to execute the vengeance of the Lord upon the beast; for Wrath is determined from the Lord, and the Nations shall tremble because of it, and the Cup of it shall speedilybe put into theirhands, [...]hough they have said, A confederacy, and there is a healing and peace among them, and the Testimony lyes dead, yet [Page 116] the Lord will come upon them as the breach of many waters. Let that word of our Lord dwell upon your hearts, for the day of it is coming upon the World, Luke 21. 25. &c. An [...] there shall be signes in the Sun, and in the Moon, and in the Stars, and upon the Earth DISTRESS of NATIONS, with perplexity, the Sea, and the waters roaring, mens hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth; for the Power of Heaven shall be shaken; and th [...]n shall they see the Son of Man coming in a Cloud, with Power and grea [...] glory▪ And when these things begin [...]o come [...]o pass, then look up, and lift up your h [...]ads, FOR YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH.

No age of the world hath produ­ced such a series of Signs and Won­ders as this hath done, in these two years last past, (which are still mul­tiplied) which though neglected and blasphemed by a generation of scof­fers, [Page 117] yet are to be had in reverence by all that fear the Lord, and regard the [...] of his hands: Which signs usu [...]ly be speak distresse of Nations; and th [...] S [...]n [...]s that observe them, are cal­led to li [...]t up th [...]ir [...]ead [...]. The voice of the Lord [...]o Egypt in the signes and wonders of that [...]y, was, Let my peo­ple go, that they may serve me, Exod. 16. 14, 16. [...]. 8. 1. ch. 9. 1. 13. ch. 10. 3. And when Ph [...]roah refused [...]o l [...]t the People of God go free that they might serve the Lord, and hard [...]ned himself against the wonders of God, it proved his and the Egyptians destruction, and wrath was upon them, and the Lord by a strong hand let his people go. But this Consideration would require a larger discussion. Let what hath been hinted, help you to a patient waiting; let us say with good Jere­miah, Chap. 14. vers. last. Art not thou he, Oh Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon thee, for thou hast made all these things.

[Page 118]The Lord will raise the expectation of his Saints, (as he hath already be­gun) and then he will come into them, Psal 9. 15. then, 'tis but for a moment, a little moment, nay, but as it were, a little moment, scarce to be call'd a lit­tle moment, but as it were so; and the indignation shall be over-past: The Lord would assure his poor people▪ That he waits but his si [...]test season, as if delay were more grievous to him than to his people: Who would not wait for such a God? Oh! blessed be all they that wait for him, Isa. 30. 8. Take that word which the Lord hath spo­ken to one or another of his poor s [...]r­vants, Ps. 3 [...]. 34. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land when the wick­ed are cut off: THOU SHALT SEE IT.

Amen.