VI. Observation. The church's mercies and deliverance have their appointed season.
In the midst of the years it shall be accomplished. As there is a decree bringing forth the wicked's destruction, Zeph. ii. 2. so there is a decree goes forth in its appointed season for the church's deliverance, which cannot be gain- said ; Dan. ix. 23. Every ' vision is for its appointed' season and time, Hab. ii. 3. then ' it will surely come, it will not tarry.' There is a determination upon the weeks and days of the church's sufferings and expectations; Dan. ix. 24. ' Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people.' As there are three transgressions, and four of rebels, for which God ' will not turn away their punishment,' Amos i. 3. so three afflictions, and four of the people of God, after which he will not shut out their supplications. Hence that confi- dence of the prophet, Psal. cii. 13, 14. 'Thou shaJt arise, and have mercy upon Sion; for' (saith he) ' the time to fa- vour her, yea, the set time is come.' There is a time, yea, a set time for favour to be shewed unto Sion : as a time to break down, so a time to build up, an acceptable time, a
"' DOU' 3"tpa in tlic inward of years.
OF ESSEX COUNTY, AND COMMITTEE. 105
day of salvation. ' It came to pass, at the end of four hun- dred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out of Egypt;' Exod. xii. 41. As a woman with child goes not beyond her ap- pointed months, but is pained to be delivered; no more can the fruitful decree cease from bringing forth the church's deliverance in the season thereof.
1. Because there is an appointed period of the church's humiliation, and bearing of her iniquities. Israel shall bear tiieir iniquities in the wilderness; but this is exactly limited to the space of forty years. When their iniquity is pardoned, their warfare is accomplished ; Isa. xl. 2. They say some men will give poison that shall work insensibly, and kill at seven years end. The great physician of his church knows how to give his sin-sick people potions, that shall work by degrees, and at such an appointed season take away all their iniquity: then they can no longer be detained in trouble. God will not continue his course of physic unto them one day beyond health recovered. ' This is all the fruit of their afflictions, to take away their iniquities;* Isa. xxvii. 9. and when that is done, who shall keep bound what God will loose? When sin is taken away from within, trouble must depart from without.
2. Because the church's sorrows are commensurate unto, and do contemporise with, the joys and prosperity of God's enemies and hers. Now wicked men's prosperity hath as- sured bounds : • the wickedness of the wicked shall come to an end.' There is a time when the ' iniquity of the Amorites comes to the full;' Gen. xv. 16. it comes up to the brim in the appointed day of slaughter. When their wickedness hath filled the ephah, a talent of lead is laid upon the mouth there- of, and it is carried away on wings, Zech. v. 6 — 8. swiftly, certainly, irrecoverably. If then the church's troubles con- temporise, rise and fall with their prosperity, and her de- liverance with their destruction ; if the fall of Babylon be the rise of Sion; if they be the buckets which must go down when the church comes up ; if they be the rod of the church's chastisement, their ruin being set and appointed ; so also must be the church's mercies.
Use. In every distress learn to wait with patience for this appointed time. ' He that believeth will not make
106 A MEMORIAL OF THE DELIVERANCE
haste/ ' Though it tarry, wait for it, it will surely come.' He that is infinitely good hath appointed the time, and there- fore it is best. He that is infinitely wise hath determined the season, and therefore it is most suitable. He who is in- finitely powerful hath set it down, and therefore it shall be accomplished. Wait for it believing, wait for it praying, wait for it contending. Waiting is not a lazy hope, a slug- gish expectation. When Daniel knew the time was come, ' he prayed the more earnestly ;' Dan. ix. 2, 3. You will say, perhaps, w^hat need he pray for it, when he knew the time was accomplished? I answer, the more need. Prayer helps the promise to bring forth. Because a woman's time is come, therefore shall she have no midwife? nay, therefore give her one. He that appointed their return, appointed that it should be a fruit of prayer. Wait" contending also in all ways wherein you shall be called out; and be not dis- couraged that you know not the direct season of deliverance. ' In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand ; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, this or that, whether they shall be both alike good ;' Eccles. xi. 6.
But proceed we with the prophet's prayer.
From ver. 3. to 17. he layeth down several arguments taken from the majesty, power, providence, and former works of God, for the supporting of his faith, to the obtaining of those good things and works of mercy which he was now praying for. We shall look on them as they lie in our way.