books; and the parchments say the same. "All things are possible to them that believe." Those that are rebelling against the higher powers imagine that it is in the power of their hand to destroy this root of all evil, and to break in pieces the oppressor. But this is a work that none but the King of kings can do, and which he hath promised he will do: but the oppressed must cry and pray for it. Hear the language of the books, "Thou shalt not vex a stranger, nor oppress him for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child; if thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless." Take notice here, if they shall be afflicted, or oppressed in any wise, and they cry unto me, I will surely hear them. But thou shalt not rebel against the higher powers, because the Lord is King of kings; they are set up by him. "By me kings reign, and princes decree justice; by me princes rule, and nobles, yea, all the judges of the earth." Therefore, thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse them, no, nor speak evil of the ruler of thy people," Ex. xxii. 28. This is God's command to us; "And cursed is he that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them." Thus you see the rebel is cursed by the books; and, I add, he is damned by the parchments. "There is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God: he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation," Rom. xiii. 1, 2. Ye must be subject, not only for wrath, but for conscience sake; not for fear of punishment, but in order keep a good conscience toward God. We have got a set of men in the nation that want to blow up all our walls and bulwarks, and to make Great Britain a field of blood. And what have they done? Why, just nothing. And what is the cause? The cause is, the will of God; he would not have it so. Then have they not resisted his will; and have they not resisted the power? Yea, they have; and such are rebels by the books, and they are damned by the parchments. "Fear God, and honour the king," is the command of God to all his children. The government that we are under protects us in the worship of our God, and will not suffer us to be molested by any; and this is a blessing to us. We have no call to be afraid of the power while we do that which is good, for such shall have praise of the same; "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil," Rom. xiii. 3. Rebelling against God, resisting his will and ordinance, and speaking evil of dignitaries, shall never bring prosperity to the land, nor comfort to the conscience; this may be proved both from the books and the parchments. This is a day appointed for fasting and prayer; and may God grant that we may be thankful for our high privileges, and for the hope that he hath given us of the better inheritance, and that we may seek the welfare both of king and country, that we may all unite in our prayers to God, and that daily, that he would be pleased to remember the poor and needy according to his promise, and that he would for Christ's sake break in pieces the oppressor. I was informed last night of a certain farmer, not seventy miles from London, that hath now by him seventy-five loads of wheat, which at this time would fetch, I suppose, near 2000l. But is any thing too hard for the Lord? He says, The corn, the wine, the oil, the wool, and the flax, are mine, I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the beasts of the field are mine, all the cattle of the forest are mine, and so are the flocks upon a thousand hills. To God then let your request be made known; this is our door of hope in this valley of Achor; call daily upon him to remember the cry of the humble, and not forget the oppressor; and then add watchfulness to prayer, and you shall not long engage in this work before you shall see both the fruits and effects of it; and, by the good hand of my God upon me, I will meet you daily at the throne of grace upon this business. To this we are encouraged by the books. "I will hear, I will hear [saith the Lord,] the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel." "Seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you;” and pray your heavenly Father daily for daily bread, and do it earnestly, in secret, and he that seeth in secret shall reward you openly; and this is promised in the parchments. Be earnest in it. Men ought always to pray and not to faint; and to be importunate; and in due time ye shall reap if ye faint not. May the good Spirit help your infirmities, and the great Advocate plead your cause; and may the Father of all mercies and God of all comfort hear your prayers and answer them agreeable to his own promise in Christ Jesus, which is revealed to us both in the books and in the parchments, and that to the glory of his own name, and to your present and eternal welfare. Amen, and amen. END OF THE SIXTEENTH VOLUME. T. Bensley, Printer, |