July 23

In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people.—Isaiah 28:5.

HAVING denounced a heavy calamity to come upon Israel, under the name of Ephraim, the prophet comforts those of Judah under the name of the residue of his people. They not being so grossly corrupted as the others were, he stays them with this promise: In that day, saith he, when the other shall be overwhelmed, as with a deluge, the Lord of hosts shall be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people.

The promise is made up of three benefits, yet the three are but one; or rather, one is all the three to them: The Lord of hosts, it is he that shall be their honor, wisdom, and strength; he shall be a crown, and diadem of beauty. But first, a word as to the circumstance of time, In that day.

That sovereign Lord, who at first set up the lights of heaven to distinguish times and seasons by their constant motion, and likewise by his supreme providence ruling the world, hath fixed the periods of states and kingdoms, and decreed their revolutions, their rising, ascending, and their height, with their decline and setting, hath by a special providence determined those changes and vicissitudes that befall his church. That which the psalmist speaks, in his own case, holds of each believer, and of the church which they make up in all ages and places: I said, Thou art my God, my times are in thy hand. A sure and steady hand indeed, and, therefore, he builds his confidence upon it. They took counsel against me, but I trusted in thee. And upon this, he prays in faith, that the face of God may shine upon him, and the wicked may be ashamed.

Thus, then, as many of you as are looking after a day of mercy to the church of God, pray and believe upon this ground, that the time of it is neither in the fall hands of those that favor and seek it, nor in the hands of those that oppose it, how strong and subtle soever they be, but in His almighty hand, who doth in heaven and earth what pleaseth him. If he has said, now, and here, will I give a day of refreshment to my people, who have long groaned for it, a day of the purity and power of religion; if, I say, this be his purpose, they must have somewhat more than omnipotence, who can hinder it. When his appointed time comes, to make a day of deliverance down upon his church, after their long night of affliction or of defection, or both; they who contrive against that day-spring, are as vain as if they would sit down to plot how to hinder the sun from rising in the morning. And they who let go their hopes of it, because of great apparent difficulties that interpose between their eye and the accomplishment of that work, are as weak as if they should imagine, when mists and thick vapors appear about the horizon in the morning, that these could hinder the rising of the sun which is so far out of their reach, and comes forth as a bridegroom, and rejoices as a mighty man to run his race, says David. Those mists may indeed hinder his clear appearance, and keep it from the eye for a time; but reason tells us, even then, that they can not stop his course. And faith assures us no less in the other case, that no difficulties can hold back God's day and work of mercy to his people. But you will say, All the difficulty is, to know whether the appointed time be near or not. It is true, we have no particular prophecies to assure us; but certainly, when God awakes his children and makes them rise, this is a probable sign that it is near day. I mean, when he stirs them up to more than usual hopes, and prayers, and endeavors, it is very likely that he intends them some special good. But yet more, when he himself is arisen,—as he pleaseth to speak,—that is, when he is begun to appear, in a more than ordinary manner of working by singular and wonderful footsteps of providence, this is, no doubt, a sign that he will go on to show remarkable mercy to Sion, and that the time to favor her, yea, the set time is come.

Howsoever then, let the wonderful workings of the Lord move those of you that have any power and opportunity, to be now, if ever, active for the greatest good both of the present age and of posterity. And you that can be no other way useful, yet you shall be no small helpers if you be much in prayer; let both your hopes and your fears serve to sharpen your prayers. Be not too much dejected with any discouragement, neither be ye carnally lifted up with outward appearances; for the heart of him that is lifted up, is not upright in him; but live as the just do, by your faith. And if the deferring of your hopes should sicken your hearts, yet, stay and comfort them with the cordial of the promises. This you are sure of, you have God's own word engaged for it, that in those latter days Babylon shall be brought to the dust, and the true church of Christ shall flourish and increase. And this vision is for an appointed time; at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not tarry.