It is time to seek the Lord

It is time to seek the Lord.

Time, certainly our time is now for the public as much as ever to seek the Lord, for never did God give us such an opportunity for honoring him as of late.

Never any nation in the world had a greater opportunity for seeking God and honoring of him than we have had; we were like to have been befool'd of our opportunity of getting mercy from God: but the Lord has given it us again, and betrusted us with an opportunity again after it was got even out of our hands; Oh! let us then catch hold of it now, and bless God that we have it even restor'd to us again, and let it be a strong argument upon us now to seek the Lord, seeing we have an opportunity yet to do it, we have the liberty of his ordinances more fully than ever, let us not be befool'd of it.

And certainly it is time in a more special manner now for us, because that things are in so great a confusion, that every body is at their wits end almost: alas our wise counsel that is at the stern, yet they are fain to depend upon meer providences, and casualties, and the truth is, there is such a confusion of things, that if God should say to the wisest man in the land, Well, do you contrive which way you think things should be best, and I'll do according to your contrivance, they could scarce tell what to say, or what to determine of, if God should leave it to them: such a confusion there is, that in a rational way you could not tell how to determine of things, Is it not time to seek the Lord then?

We thought it was time to seek the Lord when we were in great danger of the adversaries; that they would come to our gates. Surely it is as great time to seek the Lord now, to seek the Lord that when he has delivered us from our enemies that we may not devour one another. And when God has given us some rest from them and said, Well, all that before you were afraid of was, That the enemies would prevail and then you could do nothing, but I have queld their power in a great measure, and now set upon the work of Reformation, Oh! we are now at a stand and know not what to do, and we go on in such craftie waies one against another that every one is at a stand. Oh then, it is time for us to fall down upon our faces, to seek God to direct us, to regard the great opportunity that God has put into our hands.

We only now want light to know what to do, and therefore whereas heretofore we have sought God for power that we might be able; now we are to seek God for light that we may know how to improve our ability, seeking God; To labor to put our selves into such a disposition as God does use to communicate mercy to his people in, besides praying to God. There's those two things in seeking God, praying to him, and laboring to put our selves into such a way and disposition wherein God does use to meet with his people, and communicate himself to his people.