vnlesse we then call vpon him Now at this day there are many troubles in our land as not onely secret practises of traytors against the Kings excellent Maiestie but also great sicknesse and mortalitie in many chiefe places and the same dialy spreading it selfe further and further by reason of the great and dangerous contagion of the pestilence As at this time especially therefore it is high time for euery one of vs in all places to pray earnestly vnto God and as euery day bringeth vnto our eares the reports of new troubles so must we continue in our prayers that God may heare vs at the last as he hath also promised that he will The third thing to bee obserued out of these words is the forme and tenour of their prayer which is this that they pray to God that he would heare the prayers of Dauid which hee should make in the time of his troubles Therfore as it is our duty to seek to others in our troubles for their prayers and the greater that they be to seek vnto them for it the more that they striuing with vs in prayer wee might obtaine So when any shall thus desire vs to pray for them it is our dutie to doe it and so also to desire the prayers of others that in no case we neglect them our selues of which points seuerally wee haue intreated at large before So more particularly wee see from hence how wee may pray for any We may alwaies thus pray for men that God would heare their prayers whether wee are desired or not desired thereunto whether we know their estate perfectly or we be altogether ignorant of it euen that God would heare them and giue them according to their owne prayers For as if one man should haue a suite to another and should desire vs to speake for them or wee know of it otherwise though not in particular what the speciall thing is that hee desireth wee might say I pray you bee good to such a man graunt him his request wee might that wayes doe him some good So this way wee may benefit men alo Though we know not their estate when wee pray to God to giue them their requests though wee know not euery thing that they desire And thus did Hely the Priest pray for Hannah the wife of Elkanah 1. Sam. 1.13 that God would heare her prayer that she made though hee knew them not for she spake in her heart onely her lips did mooue onely but her voyce was not heard and when hee did mistake her as though shee had been drunken As Hely did for Hannah shee said nay but shee was troubled in spirit and did powre out her soule before the Lord but did not tell him for what Then he said Goe in peace and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him And she desireth him still that hee would pray for her And at the last when she had obtained her request she returned to giue thanks and told him the whole matter and said Oh my Lord Vers 26. as thy soule liueth my Lord I am the woman that stood with thee here praying vnto the Lord I prayed for this child which she had brought with her and the Lord hath giuen me my desire which I asked of him therefore also I haue giuen him vnto the Lord as long as he liueth he shall be giuen vnto the Lord and he worshipped the Lord there Where we see how he praied to God for her that he would heare her praiers and graunt her the petition that she had asked of him though he knew not what it was and so requested him to continue his prayer still for her though she doth not tell him the speciall thing that she prayed for Indeede if wee knew the particular estate of men wee might pray for them more directly and more effectually But if wee know it we may pray for them more particularly Jam. 5.16 according to that counsell which S. Iames giueth vnto all Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Where he willeth vs not only to make knowne the diseases of our bodies to others by sending for them in the time of our sicknes but euen our speciall sinnes that haue been the cause of them that so in great compassion towards vs both of soule and bodie they might pray feruently for vs when they shall see what great neede euery way we haue of their prayers But if we doe not thus confesse vnto them or cannot yet generally and effectually also wee may pray God to heare their owne prayers which they do and should make principally themselues according to the commandement of the same Apostle Vers 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray that God I say would heare them in that trouble that they bee in what and whensoeuer Therefore no man in neglecting of this dutie of prayer for others is to say I would gladly pray for such an one if I knew his estate and what to pray for for it is sufficient that the Lord knoweth it Ye are we not to neglect this dutie of praier for any though wee know not their estate that he knoweth it himselfe and doth pray for himselfe accordingly then may wee safely pray that God would heare those prayers of his And thus did Salomon in the dedication of the Temple which hee built to be an house of prayer for all nations and doth himself pray vnto God for all those that should hereafter come vnto that place there to pray whose prayers therefore in particular what they should be he could not possibly tell and doth not onely desire the Lord to heare them in such and such particular things as hee there nameth as when they should bee ouerthrowne before their enemies and when there should no raine and when there should be famine 1. King 8.33 and such like saying If they then come and confesse thy name and pray and make supplication vnto thee in this house then heare thou in heauen and be mercifull vnto the sinne of thy people Israel but more generally saith That what prayer and supplication so euer shall be made of any man Vers 38. Salomon prayed God to heare them whose prayers he could not know or of all thy people Israel when euery one shall know the plague in his owne heart and stretch foorth his hands in this house heare thou then in heauen thy dwelling place and be mercifull and doe and giue euery man according to all his waies as thou knowest his heart for thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men And in the end hee concludeth thus These my words which I haue prayed before the Lord Vers 59. let them be neere vnto the Lord our God day and night that hee defend the cause of his seruant and the
rebellions attempted at home Therefore wee haue great cause to pray for the life of our King and the rather for that wee see how his life hath been desperatly sought by diuers as appeareth by the confession of some who are in prison at the least for suspition of treason Now if they begin thus malitiously and impudently so soone what will they not dare to doe hereafter if God and good lawes doe not suppresse them And truly by this experience that we haue that euill things thus determined in secret are wonderfully disclosed and brought to light before hand and the malefactors apprehended and taken we may see the fruit of our former prayers for his Maiestie and that should incourage vs with good hope to pray for him still Nay we haue longer experience of the fruite of our prayers for our Princes in the time of good Queen Elizabeth whose life was so often sought and so desperatly that she might truly say with the Psalmist They haue often times afflicted mee from my youth Psal 129.2 but they could not preuaile against me for she went to her graue with peace full of daies threescore and nine which is a great age for a Prince when she had happily and peaceably raigned fiue and fortie yeeres Let vs labour then as much as in vs lieth to draw out by our prayers the life of our most gracious Soueraigne as an euen thred to the full for as the Lord God hath ordained the thing so also the meanes which we for our part must not neglect And let vs pray not onely for his royall person but also for his gouernment that vnder him wee may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in al godlinesse and honestie 1. Tim. 2.2 as the Apostle speaketh vnto Timothy and namely that at the next Parliament good lawes may be made for the reformation of all things that are amisse in the Church common-wealth This sermon fell out vpon that day which caused this digression And seeing that we are commanded to keepe the memory of this day with publike thanksgiuing for a famous and memorable deliuerance bestowed vpon his Maiestie in his Realme of Scotland from the treasonable conspiracie of the Earle of Gowry and his complices of whom in that respect we may say as it is in the Psalme If the Lord had not been on his side Psal 124.2 3 4 c. when men rose vp against him they had then swallowed him vp quick when their wrath was kindled against him then the water had drowned him and the streames had gone ouer his soule But praised be the Lord which hath not giuen him as a pray vnto their teeth his soule is escaped out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken and he is deliuered it falleth out not vnfitly with the argument that out of this text we haue in hand For as Dauid in this Psalme teacheth the people to pray for him and in the next to giue thankes so it is our bound dutie not onely to pray to God for him but to giue thankes for him as the Apostle also speaking of the duties of the people to their kings which he exhorteth Timothy to teach and to practise ioyneth these two together saying I exhort that supplications prayers intercessions 1. Tim. 2.1 and giuing of thankes be made for Kings and for all that are in authoritie And there is great reason that wee should thus doe What cause we haue to giue thankes to God for our King for if wee ought to bee thankfull vnto God for other common benefits as peace libertie the Gospell and such like then also for him by whom wee hold them Therefore among other benefits let vs continually remember this and see how wee faile therein and in our thanksgiuing remember other priuate benefits and not this great one or not so much as we should And though we must needes confesse that we haue great cause to be sorie for the death of our late Queene Elizabeth by whose wise gouernment we inioyed so many great benefits that we might much more truly say of her than Dauid did of Saul in his lamentation 2. Sam. 1.24 that she cloathed vs in skarlet with pleasures and hanged ornaments of gold vpon our apparel yet we must see and confesse to the praise of God as the truth is that we haue great cause to reioice that the Lord hath prouided one to succeed in her roome when her time was expired that it might not bee said of vs as it was of the Iewes in the daies of the Iudges Iudg. 18.1 that there was then no King in Israel and so we should haue bin as sheepe without a shepheard scattered here and there as it is said of the Israelites when King Ahab was slaine in the battell These haue no master let them returne euery man to his house in peace 2. Chron. 18.16 Then haue we much more cause to be thankfull that God hath raised vp him for vs In respect that he is right heire to the Crowne euen the right heire to the Crowne both by father and mother they two being the lawfull grand-children of the Ladie Margarite sometimes Queene of Scots by mariage and eldest daughter to King Henry the seuenth where if the Nobilitie had set vp some other of the bloud royall further off there must needes haue been great ciuill warres to the spilling of many thousand English mens blood and some of them should haue died in an ill cause ignorantly or against their wils as when the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster were a long time diuided in this land And then also some forrainer might easily by their owne power and by the helpe of the Papists and other mutinous and malecontented persons haue soon set footing into this Isle which would not so easily haue been driuen out againe And besides all this wee haue great cause to bee thankfull And so rarely qualited for the kingdome that he being the right heire is so wonderfully qualited for the kingdome that as the Queene lately deceased was a rare woman fit for the Crowne by election if not by inheritance so he a very rare man for all parts of soule and bodie and that the Lord did so fit him for this place and then sent him vnto vs that he came not as Saul in Gods wrath who was a cruell tyrant but as Dauid in Gods mercie to feede his people in Iacob Psal 78.71 and his inheritance in Israel And for his royall posteritie Act. 13.36 And this is no small benefit that he hath a royall posteritie to succeed in the throne of the kingdom least when he should haue serued his time by the counsel of God and so fall asleepe and be laid with his fathers we should be in a new feare And what should we say of this that he came to the Crowne so vnlooked for For though it was his inheritance yet such was the wisedome of
our gouernours that for certaine causes best knowne vnto themselues which it is not meete for vs to inquire into it was not lawfull for any of the common sort to haue discourses of the heire apparant and so few of them thought of him that we haue now or of any other But this is most of all to be wondred at And for his peaceable entrance that he came to the kingdome so peaceably and with so great approbation of all sorts of men and trauelled through the length of the whole land almost euen at the first for meaner men haue not come to their inheritances and taken vp the possession of them so quietly For truly by the grace of God to his praise bee it spoken there is no more alteration in the land in any estate or in priuate mens condition for the most part than if the Queene were still aliue And this benefit is the greater because we feared the contrarie and none could haue looked for after her death such times as we haue now And if there be any change at all And that in this short time since his comming things are bettered it is from worse to better so that since his comming many things are better in the Church commonwealth For by the gracious proclamations of his Maiestie many abuses of Playes and Interludes with Bearebaitings and Bulbaitings vpon the Sabbath day are put downe with Monopolies and ingrossings of wares into the hands of a few men many worthy men are aduanced to greater honour and worship the Papists in lesse hope of any toleration for their Popish idolatrie than before And vnto all these benefits this is none of the least And all things very cheape that God hath added this plentie of all things euen at this time whereby victuals and other things are resonable cheape least by scarcitie there might be occasion of dislike Therefore in respect of them all let vs be thankfull vnto God and yet againe let vs consider that all these come not without some punishment as this plague which is so scattered in many parts of this land especially the chief cities wherein wee must also acknowledge the great mercie of God But we are fallen into Gods hand by reason of the plague that wee haue escaped that which wee had deserued and had most cause to feare euen to fall into the hands of our enemies that they might make a pray of vs and of al that wee haue which Dauid accounted a great mercie and chose it when both of them were offered vnto him saying Let vs fall now into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hands of men 2. Sam. 24 14. therfore let vs be thankfull vnto God for this mercie also and so ioyning thanksgiuing vnto prayer for these causes that wee haue heard let vs pray vnto God for the preseruation and honour of our Lord and King Iames whom the Lord at this time with so many great benefits hath sent vnto vs and let vs take these words of the Psalme into our mouthes from which I haue a little vpon this occasion that you haue heard of digressed and say The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble c. The Lord heare thee These are the words of the prayer of the people for Dauid their King but as Ioab taught the woman of Tekoah what she should say to the King Chap. 14.19 and did put those words into her mouth which she spake before him so Dauid made this prayer for them and taught them what they should say vnto God in his owne behalfe and did as it were put these words into their mouthes when they should come before him And so hee not onely as a King taught his subiects what dutie they did owe vnto him but as a Prophet also speaking by the inspiration of the spirit of God 2. Pet. 1.21 as other holy men that wrote the Scriptures informeth the Church of God what duties they owe to him and to their superiours Dauid teacheth the people their dutie to himselfe So that he doth not in teaching them this duty of prayer for him ambitiously seeke himselfe and stand vpon his own prerogatiue to say Oh I am your King you ought to pray for me and to doe so and so but he knew it to bee his owne dutie to informe them that were committed vnto his charge in all duties to God and men euen to himselfe and therefore doth thus discharge it knowing also that in his owne safetie did consist their welfare and therefore in praying for him which hee taught them to doe they should benefit themselues So may and ought all superiours do to their inferiours So that by his example it is lawfull for all publike persons in the Church and commonwealth to teach those that are vnder them what duties they should doe to them and to require them at their hands without all suspition of ambition vainglorie or any waies seeking themselues Yea they ought to doe it and no man to finde fault with them for it not only because all superiours must teach their inferiours but also and especially because the inferiours in doing such duties vnto them shall greatly profit themselues Thus may and ought all the Ministers of Gods word in wisedome teach the people and flocke that is committed vnto them As the Minister to their people and flocke what duties they owe not onely to God and other men but euen to themselues and in so doing not to be thought of any ambitious proud c or their doctrine any waies disliked or suspected and to shew vnto them whether for reuerence of their persons to haue thē in singular estimation for their workes sake or for obedience of their doctrine 1. Thess 5.13 Heb. 13.17 to obey it that they may goe on with cheerefulnes or for maintenance or recompence of their labours in worldly things 1. Tim. 5.17 to giue them double honour or in any thing els what they should do vnto them Not only because they be faithfull in Gods house as Moses was Heb. 3.2 and so deliuer vnto them the whole counsell of God Act. 20.27 as Paul did and so teach them all-things and therefore of necessitie there must bee a time for them but also because the people in doing these duties to them they benefit themselues For in preseruing the authoritie of the ministery of the word inuiolable in their consciences and in the consciences of others consisteth the peoples welfare So that as this people was not to except against this prayer when it came to them from Dauid for it came not by the way of intreatie as an indifferent thing but by a princely iniunction or propheticall instruction and so as a necessarie dutie of theirs and therefore they were to thinke that they were bound vnto it and that hee did necessarily require it at their hands and not to make
The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble the name of the God of Iacob defend thee The meaning of the words THe thing that he wils them to pray for in his behalfe is that God would heare his prayers that he should make in the time of his trouble and accordingly defend him by sending helpe to him from heauen and giuing him strength and courage against his enemies from the place and meanes of his worship and seruice as it is in the second verse The Lord heare thee c. These words import thus much that Dauid was already in or likely to fal into some great trouble that he did pray beforehand or would pray in the time of his trouble and that he desired the people of God to pray to God for him that he would heare those prayers that he should make in the time of his trouble First then though he was a good King Dauid in his lawfull calling was not free from trouble and had a good cause in hand yet he did not promise to himselfe to bee altogether free from trouble he was to goe to warre against the Ammonites in the defence of his people and kingdome hee was not ignorant of the manifold dangers and troubles of warre for he had been a long experienced Souldier and Captaine and so thought that some of them might befall him and that he might be driuen to some great straites Therefore as he was determined to pray to God for succour in such cases so he desired them to further his praiers that God might defend him in his troubles and deliuer him out of them By outward things wee must not iudge of the lawfulnes of Kings titles We are not then rashly to iudge of the lawfulnesse of Princes titles and of the goodnes of their gouernment and of any thing that they attempt by the outward peace and quietnesse that they haue at home and abroad or on the cōtrary by the troubles dangers that they fall into of the vnlawfulnesse of the same to say this is a good King in deede and taketh none but good causes in hand for hee hath no troubles at all or otherwise to say this is a cruell Tyrant in deede and taketh ill matters in hand for see how many enemies doe rise vp against him and seeke his life for we see it otherwise here in the first words of the Psalme And besides Dauid after that he was annoynted to be King by Samuel the Prophet at the expresse commandement of God how many troubles did he fall into both before he came to the kingdome by Saul and after he came to it by Adonijah Absolom the rest Neither must good and godly Kings in their lawfull proceedings against malefactors or otherwise preiudice themselues and their owne causes through some weakenes by occasion of any trouble that shall befall them to thinke thus with themselues surely I haue not taken a good course because such euill hath befallen me This is true indeed We ought as any crosses do befall vs to examine our waies that vpon such accidents of trouble euery man should examine his owne heart and his waies whether hee bee in the waies of God or no and this is a great fault in many that they doe not as in Balaam the sorcerer who when he was sent for by Balak the King of Moab to curse the people of Israel out of his land and in hope of great reward went though in that vnhappy voyage of his vndertaken with an ill mind he was often crossed by the Angell of God with a drawne sworde Numb 22.23 so that his Asse that he rode on turned out of the way and afterwards in a straite shee thrust her selfe so neere the wall that she dasht his foote against it and at the last the Asse fell down vnder him yet he did not by all these troubles that befell him in the way examine himselfe and say Good Lord what doe I heere Whether am I going and where about But when men haue good ground and warrant for their doings then they are confidently to goe on whatsoeuer may betide them with prayer vnto God commending themselues and all their waies vnto him The blessed Lady Queene Elizabeth how iust was her title and how godly and lawfull were all her proceedings Not only with her owne subiects at home but with her forraine enemies abroad yet she fell into many troubles both of professed enemies and secret traytors So this our Lord and King Iames who is in a right line descended from her progenitors as heyre apparant to the crowne and since his first entring into this land hath sought to reforme many abuses and to doe much good euen to continue the Gospell and to keepe out Popery see how many troubles in this short time he is fallen into besides all those which in his former kingdome of Scotland hee suffered All good men must looke for trouble in the best actions And this is not onely the portion of good Princes Kings and Queenes but of all good men in their best actions they must looke to finde many dayes of trouble in them For as the Kingdome of Christ was most subiect to all kinde of wrongs in the head as Dauid prophetically complaineth Psalm 2.1 2. Why doe the heathen rage and the people murmur in vaine the kings of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ so euery member of the same as hee most seeketh to aduance his kingdome by doing good and opposing himselfe to euill so many more troubles shall he sustaine of the enemies of the same then others For besides that the men of this world are against good men and their godly actions and therefore this way the more that they shew thēselues forward the more trouble shall they haue the Lord also by sparing them somtimes in the deserued punishment of their sinnes and causing them to finde troubles and to suffer for righteousnesse sake and for well doing Therefore we must not iudg of things by the euent doth this way like a mercifull father trie their faith and their obedience Therefore let no man be discouraged in any good action for any trouble that shall befall him in it neither let vs iudge of things by the euent but be sure that our cause bee good and agreeable vnto Gods word and then if trouble come let vs beare it patiently nay let vs looke for it that wee may beare it and for want of this meditation many break off and giue ouer in their best actions And this is that that wee haue to obserue from hence that speaking of the things that belonged to his calling he maketh mention of the troubles that were like to befall him The second thing ariseth from these words The Lord heare thee In which as hee confessed before Dauid prayed to God in his trouble that he looked for troubles so in these he
exceedeth the naturall loue of the most tender parents Therefore as they are willing to doe any thing for them when they see their children sad and heauie to cheere them vp and the very bowels of the mother yearneth vpon them to bring them out of their heauinesse so doth the Lord God of his infit compassion in whom that is sea-full whereof we haue but one drop And we may desire of him our comfort and the meanes of our comfort and therefore pray that he would giue vs this and that according to our particular need euen that we might reioyce whereas now and and without them we are full of griefe Therefore if a man be in feare of some trouble as these were of enemies which maketh him sad at the least he cannot reioyce as he would he may pray to God as these doe and say O Lord heare mee and helpe me And we may pray God to helpe vs to that end Iohn 16.21 that I may reioyce now I am heauie and haue no ioy bat if I were out of this feare then should I reioyce O Lord make me to reioyce A woman in trauaile as Christ saith in the Gospel when her paines are on her is in great heauinesse but soone after all is forgotten for ioy that a manchild is borne And he compareth the afflictions of the Church generally of euery one particularly vnto them Heb. 12.11 Now because as the Apostle saith no affliction for the time present is ioyous but grieuous but after the fruit of it is ioyous to them that are exercised therein and their deliuerance also Therfore as a woman in her trauaile may pray to God Lord make an end of my paines and deliuer me that I may reioyce so may all those that are in any distresse pray for deliuerance out of their aduersitie that they might reioyce and God in his good time will giue them cause of ioy For as the prophet saith ioy is sowen for the righteous Psal 97.11 and gladnesse for them that are vpright in heart and therefore if they tarie the time they shall reape it Psal 126.5 for they that sow in teares shall reape in ioy as it is said of the Israelites when they were caried captiues into Babylon They went weeping and caried pretious seed but they did returne with ioy and brought their sheaues with thm Besides if any be in sorrow and griefe for their sinne As when we are grieued for our sinnes that by the forgiuenesse of them he mould make vs glad 22. 1 2. Psal 32.3.4 Psal 6.6.7 or for the want of the feeling of Gods fauour they may pray to God to giue them their hearts desire that they may reioyce and say now there is nothing but heauinesse in me but if God would assure me of his fauour how should I reioyce As Dauid complaineth that he roared out night and day the hand of God was so heauie vpon him and that his handes were wringing wet with the teares of his eyes that he watered his couch with teares and that he mingled his drinke with his teares and that his eyes were sunke into his head with griefe yea that his eyesight fayled him and many such grieuous complaints he vttereth but if God would forgiue him his sinne and assure him of his fauour then he should reioyce exceedingly As he saith Psal 4.6 Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon me and I shall haue more ioy than if I had all the goods in the world So in another place when he was troubled for his sinne he prayeth to God to forgiue him that he might reioyce Haue mercie vpon me O God Psal 51.1 according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities wash me throughly c. VVhere we see how vncomfortably he beginneth and how hee confesseth his sinnes with great griefe and prayeth earnestly for the forgiuenesse of them and what reason vseth hee to him this one euen that he might reioyce Vers 8. For he saith Make me to haue ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce that is that I may reioyce who am now wounded in my mind with the conscience of my sinnes and for fear of those iudgements which thou by thy seruant hast denounced against me Vers 12. And a little after Restore me to the ioyes of thy saluation where he desireth that he might haue that ioy in his saluation that he had before Thus in all griefe of mind especially for our sinnes or for any iudgement of God vpon vs or like to befall vs wee may pray That God would be mercifull vnto vs To this end we may pray that God would remoue this plague that we might reioyce As now this great mortality euery where hath been the cause of much sorrow to some for the great losse of their friends and to others for feare of that that might befall them and theirs and none can reioyce any where in this time of heauinesse as before Now we may pray to God that he would make an happie and a speedie end of it not onely for the glory of his name but for the ioy of his seruants that they who a long time haue ben in heauinesse might now at the last be comforted reioice And no doubt as this wold be a matter of exceeding great ioy to the greatest part of this land so in that respect let vs not cease praying vnto God that we might reioyce in his saluation that is in that health that he should bestow vpon vs and the rest of his people And let vs doe it the rather Psa 30.5 because he hath promised That though heauinesse bee in the euening yet ioy shall come in his morning that is in his most blessed time which let vs wait vpon him for For it is said of the people of God in Aegypt That God did certainely see their trouble Exod. 3.7 and knew their sorrowes and heard their crie and so was come to deliuer them shewing that he would haue them in sorrow no longer and so it appeared in the end that they went out with great ioy That our brethren in all places might reioyce loaden with the spoyle of the Aegyptians So we may be sure that he is not ignorant of the trouble and sorrow that many in this land a long time haue been in and he hath heard the cries that they haue beene driuen to make let vs beseech him for them that it would please him in his good time to deliuer them from it and from the cause of it especially seeing he is so mercifull that it is truly said of him Psal 103.9 He will not alway chide nor keepe his anger for euer And as in the dayes of Hester it is written Hest 3.15 Chap. 4.3 That not only the chiefe citie Shushan was in great perplexitie but in euery place whether the kings commission came
ioyous and with glad hearts 2. Chron. 7.10 because of the goodnesse that the Lord had done for Dauid and for Salomon and for Israel his people Thus they reioyced againe in this great blessing that God had set vp the place to his worship among them so that all knew whether to resort vnto it In regard whereof we haue as great cause to reioyce at this time as they had then for God hath giuen vs his holy word and Gospell and we haue publike places appointed euery where And that the Gospell is planted euery where whether we all the people may resort with the freedome of our consciences to serue God and we are not by the grace of God vnprouided for this way let vs doe as this people did here consider of it as a matter of great ioy And truly so it is if we doe rightly weigh and esteeme of it for what I pray you would our forefathers haue giuen to inioy these great benefits that we doe and how comfortable would they haue thought their times to haue bene in respect of that they were then if they might haue had them as wee haue I meane this libertie and freedome from persecution this good gouernment and peaceable inioying of all that we haue especially the puritie of the Gospell and the peace of the Church And if any one of them seuerally be sufficient cause of ioy then all of them together a great deale more let vs then seeing we haue them not loose the comfort of them but so esteeme of them and so consider of them as causes of great ioy as in their owne nature they are And as we ought to doe thus at all times so especially and most of all we had need to doe it in the time of any sorrow or griefe that thereby we might beare the same so much the more easely when in so many great benefits we shall see what great ioy we haue In the time of sorrow most of al we ought to reioice in Gods benefits And truly if we could come to this as we ought we should find that though many times for this and that and such things as doe befall vs we haue cause to sorrow yet for these and such like we haue againe cause of ioy and so it might happily come to passe that we setting the one against the other we might easily ouercome at the least the extremity of griefe and find fault with our selues for being grieued too much Psal 42.11 and say as Dauid did to himselfe Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me wait on God for I will yet giue him thankes he is my present helpe and my God So we might say to our selues why am I thus grieued haue I not these and these causes of ioy And so though all griefe be not taken cleane away from vs yet at the least it should by this be so moderated and mitigated as the furious spirit of Saul was with the pleasant musicke of Dauid that it might be tollerably and in some good sort borne So shall our sorrow be the more easily borne VVhen as it should be with vs as it was with them that built the second Temple at Ierusalem where some wept and some reioyced and so among the people there was ioy and sorrow mingled together Many of the Priests and of the Leuites Esra 3.12 and of the chiefe fathers auncient men which had seene the first house when the foundation of this house was layd before their eyes wept with a loud voice and many shouted aloud for ioy So that the people could not discerne the sound of the shout for ioy from the noise of the weeping of the people for the people shouted with a loud cry and the noyse was heard far off Some here wept because they had no more and some reioyced because they had so much and they could not tell which of them was the greatest the noyse of them that mourned or the noyse of them that reioyced So it might come to passe that in the middest of our sorrow there might be some ioy and our ioy might be as great as our griefe and so much the greater by how much the cause of the one is greater than the other and thus when we began to be sorowfull we might also begin to reioyce For it is said in a song of one of the confessors of the Church who desired to haue bene a Martyr Some men for sudden ioy doe weepe and some in sorrow sing c. Betwixt them both saith he will I begin c. meaning that he would so sorrow for his sinnes that he would reioyce in Christ in whom he saw more cause to reioyce than he could see of sorrow in himselfe and so he would begin betweene both and that did make a very good meane So must wee doe think as well what cause we haue of ioy as we do of our sorrow so neither reioyce without sorrow when there is cause nor sorrow without ioy when there is cause of both but as he said begin betweene both And let vs be willing to do thus the rather because few haue any care at all to doe it as they ought whereby it commeth to passe that they loose the fruits and comfort of these benefits Few do truly reioyce in Gods benefits and though they haue them yet they are not so comfortable vnto them as they might be For these things that we haue spoken of namely the common benefit of peace and good gouernment and the Gospell are common to all in our time as well as to our selues but how few doe truely reioyce before the Lord in them or in the causes of their ioy doe at any time thinke or consider of them or when they would make themselues merry do enter into the serious consideration of these causes of ioy but what is the cause of it Surely they neither haue prayed vnto God for them as this people did here for this that they speake of neither haue they esteemed of them as of great befits as they did of this that they prayed for and so they cannot reioyce in them as they should and by that meanes also it commeth to passe that they cannot be so thankfull to God for them as they ought and as others are For these two goe together and cannot be seuered To reioyce in Gods benefits and to be thankefull for them so that the more we reioyce the more thankefull should we be and the want of ioy in Gods benefits is the cause of vnthankefulnesse for them As wee see here also that in this verse they are ioyned together when they say That we might reioyce in thy saluation and set vp our banners in the name of our God as we shall hereafter see by the grace of God out of these words VVhat should be the fruit of all true ioy in Gods benefits wherby this ioy of the holy Ghost differeth from all
God king of England Scotland Fraunce and Ireland defendor of the true auntient Catholicke and Apostolicke faith and in all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and ouer all persons within these his realmes and dominions next and immediatly vnder Christ Iesus supreme gouernour and iugde we are to pray for his life and for the life of the Queene the Prince and all their noble and worthy ofspring and for his maiesties person that God would saue him from his enemies as we see that he hath not wanted some in this short time of his raigne that we might still reioyce And we must be thus persuaded that his saluation shall be still our ioy as this people doth thus here thinke of Dauid their king Therefore as we desire the continuance of our ioy and comfort so let vs still pray for the preseruation of his most excellent maiestie the meanes and cause of it For that which is sayd of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon is true of all good kings and namely of our soueraigne Lord King Iames most of all Dan. 4.9 What benefits we inioy vnder his Maiesties gouernment He was like a goodly great tree whose bowes were faire and the fruit thereof much and it was meat for all it made a shadow vnder it for the beasts of the field and the foules of the heauen dwelt in the branches thereof and all flesh fed of it So doe we vnder his gratious gouernment inioy defence and protection from all enemies iniuries and wrongs and it is as a shadow to vs against the scorching heat of the sunne and by his meanes we peaceably inioy the vse of all that we haue both for meat and drinke and all things needfull for the preseruation of this life and so we as it were feed of his fruit Therefore we had need still to pray for his preseruation not onely that all these great benefits might be continued but that we might still reioyce in them as now we doe and let vs be persuaded that as long as God shall preserue him out of the handes of his enemies and prolong his life so long shall we haue cause to reioyce VVhat shall we thinke then of them that haue sought not the preseruation but the vtter ruine and finall ouerthrow of their naturall princes kings and Queenes as wee haue had too great experience of it in this land both in the dayes of our late good Queene Elizabeth especially and also in this short time of our now worthy king Iames we must needs iudge of them not onely as traitours to their persons but as common enemies to all the people of this land in that they haue sought to bereaue vs and them of the chiefest cause of our ioy Traytors are enemies to the common ioy and so to cast vs into vntimely sorrow For as there was great lamentation among the Iewes and not without cause 2 Chron. 35.24 25. at the death of that good and godly king Iosiah so that Ieremie the Prophet trembled also and seemed to be the chiefe mourner so had we no lesse cause to lament at the death of our noble vertuous Queene and the ministers of the Gospell most of all and all the vnfained professors of the same and should haue had a great deale more if she had beene traitorously taken away before the full number of her dayes were expired to the great disturbance of the whole Realme according to the desperat and continual attempts of her enemies And so should we now still haue if any such thing should be offered vnto his maiesties person Therefore we must iudge of them as of our greatest enemies who seeke to bring vpon vs a common sorrow before the time But let vs lift vp though not our hands yet our voice against them pray vnto God still to disappoint them of their treasonable deuises and diuellish practises and to preserue our king and all his that so we may still reioyce in their saluation euen for Christ Iesus his sake In thy saluation c. As all subiects principally should by this example learne to pray for their kings and all chiefe gouernours vnder them That God would preserue and blesse them that they might thēselues reioyce because they be worthy instruments of Gods goodnesse vnto them which is the thing that hath bin handled alreadie so all inferiours may here see as in a glasse what minds they should carry to all their superiours those that God hath placed in any roume of what kind so euer they be that they should bee persuaded that in their preseruation and welfare consisteth their owne ioy and comfort All inferiors should count the welfare of their superiors their own ioy and that they cannot miscarrie or any ill befall them but themselues must needs be sorrowfull and in that respect pray for them continually be they neuer so meane As with this mind persuasion the people should pray for their minister's and teachers who watch for their soules Heb. 13.17 and for the saluation of them as the holy Apostle saith For it is true that Christ saith of them and was found most true in his owne person That when the shepheard is smitten Matth. 26.31 the sheepe will be scattered that is when God taketh them away who are their guiders the people are in daunger to fall into all kind of error heresie and sinne and to be distracted scattered among themselues not onely in iudgement but in affection besides they may want the comfort of Gods word and of their praiers So should all children be affected to their naturall parents fathers mothers and also seruants to their masters and gouernours That seeing God hath placed them ouer them for their good and they inioy so many great benefis in their houses and by their meanes and so haue so many causes of reioycing from them by them they should pray for their liues health and welfare that they may reioyce there still for they shall haue their part in it and it shall bee the better for them And they must thinke before hand that whē God takes them away they shall haue great cause of sorrow And their death or hurt their sorrow as we see how greatly Ioseph lamented for his fathers death who when he gaue vp the ghost Gen. 50.1 Vers 11. His sonne fell vpon his fathers face wept so he cōtinued mourning for him a long time at his buriall there was such great mourning for him that the place had the name of it And Esau the sonne of Izack though he was a wicked disobedient child as appeareth in his storie Heb 12.16 yea a prophane person as the holy Ghost calleth him yet he had so much grace in him as we say that hee thinketh of his fathers death before hand as of a time of sorrow and mourning and so speaketh of it Gene. 27.41 saying The dayes of mourning for my father will come shortly
heard them and one of them for another as the people of Ierusalem for Dauid their King the Prophet Isaiah for Hezekiah and the rest of the people and the captiued Iewes for Hester the Queene and her for them so will hee doe one of vs for another So that if we daily giue our selues to prayer and make conscience to vse that holy ordinance of God our selues wee may in great faith and hope desire the prayers of others And thus much for him that made the prayer whose name is prefixed in the title of it now for them that vsed it which was the Church of God at Ierusalem which is to be gathered out of the discourse of the whole Psalme but I cannot enter into it at this present I will reserue it vntill the next day THE THIRD SERMON vpon the first verse The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble the name of the God of Iacob defend thee The people pray for the King as they were desired THese are the words of the people which they spake vnto God in the behalfe of their King and so they did as Dauid desired them namely pray for him If they did thus pray for him being desired thereunto and it was their bound dutie so to doe and they knew it to be so and therefore did make conscience of it and it had bin a very great fault for them to haue failed in it then by consequence it followeth of necessitie that whensoeuer any of our brethren or sisters in Christ shall desire this dutie at our hands So must we do for all those that desire our prayers wee must bee carefull to performe it and it were a fault not to be excused in vs both against God and them to faile in it Therefore wee must not thinke that when godly men and women at their parting or otherwise desire our prayers and say I pray you pray for me or remember me in your prayers that these are words of course though I doe not denie but that many doe so vse them and so doing they take the name of God in vaine but wee should be perswaded that out of the abundance of their feeling of their owne wants they speake vnto vs and so be willing by our prayers to helpe to supplie them Especially when they shall make their estate known vnto vs And especially wee should doe it when they shall make knowne their estate vnto vs as here Dauid did to the people giuing them to vnderstand that he should or might be in great daunger of his enemies and so it was a time of trouble vnto him as he called it and as the Apostle S. Iames speaketh Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another Jam. 5.16 that ye may be healed that when the sicke should send for godly and graue men and so they should not onely see their estate for bodily health but they should also for their owne further comfort confesse vnto them their speciall sinnes which they finde to haue been the cause of them that then they would bee most willing to pray for them being sent for to that end especially So then if we see plainly that they haue cause to desire our prayers and that they doe it with earnestnes then most of all should we thinke vpon them and vpon their estate to pray for them and it must needes bee a great fault to forget them For as if any should bee in distresse or want and should stand in neede of our helpe for meate and drinke and cloathing or other things and should come and make their moane vnto vs and desire reliefe from vs if we seeing their estate to be so pitifull as indeede it is should not be mooued in compassion to helpe them according to our abilitie it were a token of great hardnes of heart in vs So much more when any shall make knowne their wants vnto vs to that end that we might pray to God for them if wee should forget it or neglect to doe it it should bewray too great want of fellow-feeling and brotherly compassion in vs. Most of all this dutie of prayer ought to bee carefullie performed And most of al when thereupon we haue promised to pray for them Psal 15.4 when wee haue promised it vnto any vpon such notice of their estate for as all promises made to our brethren ought to be kept yea though it bee to our owne hindrance so those most of all that so neerely concerne them And as if when any should desire vs to speak to some great man for them and wee promise to doe it and they trust to it hoping that we will be as good as our words it were a great deceit in vs to faile them and so to frustrate their expectation For all lawfull promises must be kept So when any haue desired vs to speake to God for them and vpon our promise they would comfort themselues ouer it if we should by negligence deceiue them it were a great fault in vs and that which the Lord would require at our hands though they should neuer know of it Therefore as we ought dâ—â—y to pray one for another vnasked as our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs O our Father which art in heauen giue vs this day and forgiue vs our trespasses and leade vs not into temptation c so more specially and by name should we do it for them that haue desired it of vs. And so parents especially should not forget their children in their prayers which daily aske their blessing and hope to be blessed of God by their prayers Secondarily if wee should neglect to pray for them that haue desired it at our hands Els they that we trust vnto shal neglect to pray for vs. how could we haue any hope that others whom we haue desired to pray for vs should performe that dutie vnto vs Nay might not wee iustly feare that they would altogether neglect it seeing we doe neglect them and should it not be iust with God so to punish vs according to the saying of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 7.2 Looke with what measure you meat vnto others it shal be met vnto you againe And I remember that this was the saying of a reuerend father in the Church who is now fallen asleepe in the Lord when any desired him to pray for them as many did and more then any that I haue knowne he would say vnto them I pray you pray for me and pray that I may remember you and then I hope I shall not forget you Therefore if we would haue others pray for vs let vs pray for them for wee can neuer haue greater assurance that they will doe it for vs than that we are carefull to doe it for them and the more that we doe it for them the more may we hope that they will do it for vs. For the spirit of God that mooueth vs pray and knoweth much more that we doe so it being
the searcher and the mouer of the hearts shall also moue them to doe the like for vs that this promise 〈◊〉 be verified vnto vs. Which if it be true very often of them that are not desired at all that by the secret operation of the spirit of God which quickeneth the whole bodie of Christ and euery part of it then much more of them that are desired and know the estate one of another Therefore if the King would haue his subiects to pray for him he must pray for them Therfore if we would haue others pray vs let vs pray for them if Noblemen would haue their Chaplens pray for them of conscience they must pray for them also if the Bishops would haue the Ministers remember theÌ„ in their prayers they must not forget them in theirs and so these great personages must not thinke that all should remember them and yet forget all and that it should be a great fault in their inferiours if at any time they should but once forget them in their publike prayers and yet it should bee no fault in themselues though they doe continually forget them So if the Minister would haue his people to pray for him as the Apostle often willeth the Church of God to pray for him then he must remember publikely and priuately to pray for them so must children doe for their parents if they would haue their blessing and the benefit of their prayers so must the husband do for the wife and one neighbour and friend for another For the more wee pray for them the more shall they pray for vs yea though they know not at all that we pray for them and if they should neglect it yet no doubt some or other shall doe it for this saying of him that is truth it selfe must needs be true Looke with what measure you mete vnto others Luk. 6.36 with the same it shall be mete vnto you euen heaped vp pressed downe and running ouer into your bosome Prou. 11.17 Therefore as he that is mercifull rewardeth his owne soule so hee that performeth this worke of mercie to pray for others in their neede rewardeth himselfe and shall haue others pray for him in his greatest need And as hee that soweth plentifully 2 Cor. 6.6 shall reape plentifully so he that soweth this dutie of prayers plentifully for others shall reape againe so many and more from others The knowledge of this should make vs willing to pray for others especially being desired thereunto fâ—â—â—ee shall lose nothing thereby but gaine greatly Therefore if not for the good of others yet for our owne let vs be willing to pray for others and herein let vs fulfill the saying of Christ Whatsoeuer you would haue men doe vnto you Matth. 7.12 euen so doe you vnto them If we doe not pray for others we shall the lesse reioyce in all blessings of God vpon them Thirdly seeing the end of our prayers for others is that we might thereby obtaine such things for them as they neede when God shall lbesse them in soule and body and euery way else according to their owne desire and in these things we shall haue prayed for them also we shall haue so much the more cause to reioyce with them and to be thankefull to God for them when we not onely see that God hath blessed them but blessed them at our prayers and so we haue our part in those benefits Whereas if we should neglect it God might heare them selues or others for them or both but we shall haue little comfort in those benefits because by neglecting to pray for them we haue had no hand in them Nay we shall be the more sory that so great things are befallen them and we haue not furthered them therein as we might and as we were desired Rom. 12.15 For as if our friend haue a suite to some noble man and we by some meanes haue furthered them therein and they haue obtained it as it were partly by our meanes wee then speake and thinke of it with the more ioy and comfort but if they preuailed therein by themselues or by others without vs it will grieue vs that we haue not yeelded them that helpe that we might so is it in the suites that men make in their prayers vnto the Lord. For if we should as the Apostle saith be so affectioned one to another that we should reioyce with them that reioyce and be heartily glad of any good that God bestoweth vpon others and be thankefull to him for it seeing we are brethren nay members one of another then most of all should we doe it when such benefits are bestowed vpon them partly by our meanes Therefore that we might continually reioyce in all the good that God bestoweth vpon others let vs be willing and carefull to pray to him for a supplie of all such wants as they shall make knowne vnto vs. In which respect euery one should be mindfull to pray for the Church of God in their time especially for that part of it wherein they liue and for the common-wealth and for our gouernours in both Therefore we should pray for the church and common-wealth in our time that so wee might reioyce with others and bee thankefull to God with them for all the common benefits of our time As for example if wee haue and doe pray for the life and honour of our most gracious King how glad may we be to heare of his miraculous deliuerance from most notable treasons as they professe verse 5 And if we doe pray for the staying of the Pestilence euery where how may wee reioyce to heare that the Lorde diminisheth his heauy hand in any place So if we pray for seasonable weather with others wee may haue the more comfort in it when the Lord shall send it And to conclude if we pray for the blessing of God vpon the ministerie of the word 2. Thessal 3.1 that it may haue free passage and bee glorified as the Apostle willeth and that the Lord would giue an increase to that that is planted and watered from time to time then how may it reioyce our hearts to see sinners conuerted vnto the Lord or any good to be done thereby Otherwise as Mordochey said to Hester If she did not helpe Hest. 4.14 God could send deliuerance to his Church from some other place so if wee refuse to pray for these things God may send helpe by the prayers of others but we shall haue so much the lesse comfort in them Fourthly and last of all We must beleeue that our prayers may doe much good to others that wee might bee the more willing to pray for others wee must bee perswaded that God will heare vs for them and that this way we shall be beneficiall vnto them for the Lord will bestowe such and such blessings vpon them and deliuer them from the miseries that they bee in both of soule and body at our prayers
exception against it and to say Behold how hee seeketh himselfe hee hath giuen vs a forme of prayer but it is all or most for himselfe So when the Ministers of Gods word shall shew what duties the people owe to them as they are Gods Ministers they must not scornfully reiect it saying he hath taught vs indeede a good lesson to day but the greatest part of it did concerne himselfe see how wel he can plead for himselfe For doe we not see how the Apostle Paul who was so humble and lowly that hee did figuratiuely applie the faults of others to himselfe and to Apollos 1. Cor. 4.6 that the Corinthians might learne by them not to swell one against another for any cause teacheth the Churches and people of God to pray for him Eph. 6.19 and to reuerence his person as the Minister of Christ and the disposer of the secrets of God also to bestow their worldly goods vpon him for his maintenance 1. Cor. 6.1 yea the maintenance of his wife and children and whole familie if hee had any and doth hee not iustly finde fault with them when they had failed in these things Phil. 4.10 Therefore though many that I say not my selfe doe often wittingly and of purpose passe by such doctrine arising necessarily from the words of their text or doe teach it seldome and very sparingly least any should stumble at this without a cause yet when any such thing is deliuered wee see how it must be receiued and practised The like is to be said of all gouernours in a family And gouernours of families to those that are committed to thē the parents father and mother or the master and mistris or dame may and ought without any imputation from any teach their sonnes and daughters their maide seruants and man seruants what is their dutie not onely and principally to God but to others euen to themselues and these inferiors must paciently heare them and not be offended at it but willing to learne and doe them For besides that they should thus thinke of themselues that they are in place to teach them and so they must receiue instruction at their mouthes the gouernours also do know that in the performance of such duties to them consisteth their good and for the neglect of such God will punish them When as then they shall heare them say you ought to behaue your selues thus and thus to me you ought so to speake euen reuerently your behauiour to mee and your obedience ought to bee so and so they must not proudly and disdainfully cast it behinde their backes but willingly imbrace it and conscionably practise it Yea one man in godlinesse wisdome and christian modesty And one neighbour may thus teach another may tell others what duties they owe to them in respect of their callings yeeres and such like and say you ought to behaue your selfe towards mee thus and thus do you not knowe that I am your elder your better your neighbour your kinseman c without any suspition of foolish ambition For as if wee had an euill debter wee might without suspition of couetousnesse tell him that hee is in our debt and that hee oweth vs so much and require him to pay it so other duties that any owe to vs we may without surmise of selfe-loue require at their hands Therefore in what calling soeuer we be though indeede we should alwaies and in all things be more forwards to doe duties then to require them of others yet we should not impose vpon our selues such a maydenlinesse or Stoical modestie that we should neuer challenge our right of men and shew what duties they owe vnto vs especially seeing wee should teach and admonish one another whilest we haue time and whilest it is called to day and we also doe know Heb. 3.13 that for them to performe such duties vnto vs shall make for their good How hardly men will admit this kind of teaching And this that we haue spoken is the rather to be marked of vs because we shall find naturally that we do more easily admit that kind of teaching wherein we are shewed our dutie to others rather than to those that doe teach vs. As if the Minister of the Gospell should publikely or any other priuatly tell vs what we should doe to God or to our King or to our gouernors or to our parents or to our neighbours we may happely with quietnes heare it yet it were to be wished that all would do so but if he come to shew what God requireth to be done to himselfe and to his ministery then they are ready to take exception against it and they thinke that they may lawfully gainesay it at least wise pause vpon it and say see what a faire taile he hath told for himselfe and so though it be a dutie and God requires it of them and they heare it and the conscience doth sufficiently conuict them of it yet forsooth because it concerneth them that speake they little regard it and though in some cases they will giue a man leaue to speake for his owne profit yet not for duties to be performed vnto them though it be for the profit of others Therefore seeing that wee shall finde this corruption so strong in vs and so deepely as it were to be rooted in the bones that it will not out of the flesh euen that our stomackes will sooner rise against a man when he speaketh to vs of himselfe and of our duty to him then of another and wee can more hardly brooke and digest such kinde of teaching we had need to be put in minde of it and to be made acquainted with it so much the more And thus we conclude by the example of Dauid in giuing this forme of prayer in his behalfe The conclusion and of the people in vsing it for him and so doe willingly performe this dutie of prayer for their King though he taught it them that it is lawfull for the Ministers of God to teach publikely in their Sermons such duties as belong to themselues yea and for all sorts of men priuatly to admonish their neighbours and brethren of the like without any iust suspition of ill meaning and that all inferiours must with meekenes and reuerence receiue such instructions willingly at their mouthes and be swift to heare them and slowe to replie or speake against them and be carefull to follow them in the feare of God and not to thinke much of it that they should come thus neere them as to presse vpon them such duties as they owe not any to other but to themselues seeing God hath ordained one of vs to helpe another as the members of the body doe and the superiours therein seeke their good and not themselues so much and the inferiors also shall finde by experience that it is profitable for themselues to doe such things as are required at their hands THE FIFTH SERMON vpon the first verse
euill but these sheepe what haue they done O Lord my God I beseech thee let thine hand be on me and on my fathers house and not on thy people for their destruction Then the plague ceased and God commanded the Angell to stay his hand saying It is enough let thine hand cease So no doubt if all men could come thus to confesse their sins vnto God accusing themselues and not laying them vpon others yea to iudge themselues for thē worthie of death as hee did and accordingly be humbled before God and especially if wee could come to haue that feeling of the miserie of our brethren and pray for them in compassion then this example might minister vnto vs some comfort when we should thus say O God that diddest thus spare thy people in the daies of Dauid when they confessed their sinnes vnto thee spare vs also and our brethren who desire to humble our selues before thee Then also might we further consider how when the Lord sent the Pestilence into Egypt vpon Pharoh and his people according to that which he had threatned before saying I will smite thee and thy people with the Pestilence and thou shalt perish from the earth Exod. 9.15 it was a very great plague for it was in euery house in the land but it was in great mercy for but one onely in a house dyed And of the Israelites when the plague was in Egypt euen the first borne then they marked the doore of the Israelites by the appoyntment of Moses with the blood of a Lambe which was a representation of the blood of Christ that the destroyer might not enter in And by this we might see that as sinne is the cause of al plagues so in the middest of them God will be mercifull to those that are his though they be mingled with the rest In which respect wee must confesse that it is no maruaile if this plague be so vniuersal in the land seeing that sin hath so long abounded in all places nay it is Gods mercy that it is not in all places and in euery house for all haue grieuously sinned against him For if wee rightly consider the sins of our time we must needs say that they are many great For how hath this long patience of fiue and fortie yeeres of the Gospell bin abused of all sorts How little fruite of it is there in many places what great ignorance is there of the will of God euery where and lesse practise of that that men know How is the worship of God prophaned being placed of many in ceremony rather than in truth Whether we consider the Egyptians that were punished for their sinnes iustly for they content themselues with this outward comming to Church but neglect the power of the meanes there vsed and thus the name of God is dishonoured by their carnall profession and wicked liues The Lords Sabbaths haue bin most grieuously polluted by keeping of Faires on them and by Interludes Bearebaitings Bulbaitings and by other disorders of football and such like and men would not bee spoken to in these cases if they were they were readie to stand in the defence of them so farre were they from amending thē how haue these daies I say which wee should consecrate as glorious to the Lord Jsai 58.13 and call them our delight how haue they been abused by not comming to Church not bringing their whole families with them by sleeping and talking here and not spending the rest of the day in the seruice of God What great contempt is there euery where of superiours How vnruly the seruants and children How is the aged despised and the gray haires brought into contempt What little care is there in the gouernours to amend these by any good order in their houses either of priuate prayer reading the Scriptures and such like Who almost hath the care of Dauid to reforme his house who said I will walke in the vprightnes of mine heart in the middest of mine house Psal 101.2 Vers 7. and there shall no deceitfull person dwell within my house he that telleth lies shall not remaine in my sight Who doth determine and say with Ioshuah I and my house will serue the Lord let all the world besides doe what they will Josh 24.15 Of how few can it bee truly said as the Lord saith of Abraham I know him Gen. 18.19 that he will commaund his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon him that he hath spoken vnto him How few also haue any good orders in their houses for praiers at morning euening or other times That it might be said of them Dan. 6.10 as it is of Daniel that it was his manner three times a day to fall vpon his knees to pray vnto God and to praise his God yea then when hee could not doe it without danger of his life That so it might be said of them all as it was of Cornelius Act. 10.2 that worthie Christian souldier and Captain That he feared God all his houshold when his familie must needs be very great being of that place that hee was as it appeareth by the storie that indeed it was But to proceed though I doe it with an heauie heart what hatred rankor and malice is there among many that they are readie to kill one another if it were possible with a word though it be said that to call thy brother Raca or thou foole deserueth hell fire Matth. 5.22 Oh how many thousand adulteries and fornications without number haue bin and are still committed for which there fel in one day among the people of God three and twentie thousand 1. Cor. 10.8 In which kind of sinne aboue all others as the Apostle saith they sinne against their owne bodies Chapt. 6.18 therefore God many waies punisheth them in their bodies and if there were no sinne among vs but this it were sufficient to prouoke this great plague and it may iustly raigne in the bodies of a great many vnto death and in others with noysom and painfull vlcers and sores And I haue heard it obserued if it be true that is reported that in London this pestilence hath been most hot in that part of the citie that hath been most polluted this way as in Shoreditch and in the suburbs and such out-places where it hath swept them away by whole families and streetes like a deuouring fire as the holy man Iob doth fitly compare the iudgement of God against this sinne vnto that saying This is fire that shall consume to destruction Job 31.12 not onely of the goods whereof he speaketh but euen of the bodie also But there are more sins among vs than these though these be too many and enough to prouoke the Lords wrath against vs as the great hard dealing and iniustice that is among men whereby they
haue been thus strengthened by the meanes of Gods worship in Sion As appeareth in Iob. We may see both these in the example of Iob who is a patterne both of great weaknes of great strength in the weaknes of his faith and before that he was sufficiently strengthened by the word he fell into great impatiencie and cursed the time that euer he was borne saying Let the day perish wherein I was borne Job 3.2 and the night wherein it was said there is a manchilde borne and so goeth on and saith much to that effect See whether a mans weaknes will carrie him if he haue no strength frō the word yea though hee be a very good man as Iob was But when hee was sufficiently strengthened by the word of God and had the feeling of it in his heart hee was able to beare all things as not only when he said The Lord hath giuen Chap. 2.21 and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord but when in greater affliction hee said If the Lord kill me Chapt. 13.25 Chapt. 19.25 yet I will put my trus in him And also I am sure that my redeemer liueth and I shall see him and mine eyes behold him and none other for me See againe what we shall be able to beare when wee haue gotten sufficient strength of faith and patience from the word though wee were neuer so weake before Seeing it is so wee may well know in this visitation of the plague if it should come among vs from whence wee must haue strength to beare it yea and any other triall also that now or hereafter God shall lay vpon vs euen from his word and from that faith and hope that wee haue gotten from thence and so much strength assuredly shall we haue as we haue true faith and without that wee can haue none the weaknes of our faith is the cause of little strength This should make all of vs diligent to come to the Church Therefore in this time of the plague all should labour to get strēgth from the word and to see that we haue cause to doe as wee now doe not onely to come and pray that God would turne away his heauie hand but to heare his word carefully that by it wee might grow in faith and hope and so receiue strength to beare whatsoeuer God shall lay vpon vs. In so much that if a man had no care before now he had neede to begin and hee that was diligent before must be more diligent now for he hath need of greater strength and to prouoke all his family to come that they also might be strengthened with him against the day of trouble els if affliction doe come among them their weaknes and impatiencie may trouble him whereas if he haue gottē any strength of faith he shall haue it not for himselfe alone but his strength shall doe them much good and all of them being strong in faith one shall comfort and vphold another For in all companies the more strength that euery one of them hath the better shall it be for them all And let not men deferre vntil Gods hand be vpon them and thinke that they will get strength then And doe not deferre it vntil Gods hand be vpon them Ephes 6.12 for when they haue done all that they can they shall finde that they haue strength little enough to wrastle with the paines of their bodie and temptations of their minde euen with the prince of the darknes of the world with spiritual wickednesses and that in the matter of our saluation so that when wee haue the whole and complet armour of Christians vpon vs euen our loynes girt about with the girdle of truth and the breastplate of righteousnes and our feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace and the shield of faith and the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit yet we shall haue much adoe to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things to stand fast Besides it is not wisedom for a man to defer to seek for any thing then when he should need it in worldly matters we would be glad to haue them before-hand let vs bee as carefull for our soules and so I pray you for the loue of Christ and of your owne soules not only to come still but to profit by your comming as much as you can to get strength against trouble from Sion euen from this place of Gods seruice where it is to bee had Otherwise it will come to passe that besides many great weaknesses that you must needes fall into this shall be a grieuous accusation to your consciences to think to complaine somewhat too late Oh how might I haue strengthened my self against these euill daies if I had made more account of the word if I had come to it more diligently profited by it more effectually but alas now what great weaknes of faith is in me how full of distrust and of impatiencie am I how am I out of all hope because I haue neglected the meanes of my strength Let euery one therefore examine his owne strength and according to the great weaknes that he findeth in himself so let him make more account of comming to the word and let them now whilest they haue time giue themselues plentifully to the reading and meditating of the sweet and comfortable promises of the same at home in their houses that they and theirs may get as much strength therby as they may against the time of neede And as this is our strength so it must be the strength of all our brethren and therfore as Dauid willeth them here to pray for him In this respect what we shuld pray for those that are vnder the plague both for the preachers and for the hearers that God would strengthen him out of Sion that is by the word which he had heard there that now God would call it into his remembrance and confirme his faith by it So wee must pray for them that with this visitaion of the plague they may still haue his word among them and that it may be diligently preached and to that end that the Lord would watch ouer and preserue his faithfull Ministers the preachers of his word as the chiefe captaines that should incourage strengthen the rest and that the people may reuerently esteeme of the word and of them for the words sake so be careful of thē and of their liues And that all would willingly come to the word that may and they that are sicke or shut vp and cannot that God would forgive them their negligent hearing of his word in time past whereby they might haue gotten more strength and that hee would blesse that that they heard heretofore that by it they may be strengthened and by it be assured of the forgiuenes of their sinnes and may haue hope of eternal life and so patiently abide whatsoeuer God
his seruice they haue fayled or that they haue not trembled at his word nor been pricked at the heart when they heard their sinnes laid open as those did that are spoken of in the Actes of the Apostles but that they haue been hard hearted rather and not so moued as they should So that they haue had a godly feare that their best seruices might haue been refused And Dauid this holy man of God it seemeth being priuie to the corruption of his owne heart was somewhat afraide that all that seruice which he had done was not as it shuld be whē he so earnestly desired the people and by this note Selah did pricke them forward thereunto that God would accept with fauour his seruices and shew by the euent that he had done so And this is that godly ielousie that Iob had of his children in the dayes of their feasting together which caused him to doe as it is written of him Iob. 1.5 And when the dayes of their banqueting were gone about Iob sent and sanctified them and rose vp early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all For Iob thought it may be that my sonnes haue sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts thus did Iob euery day When they had done feasting the next day hee called them to the sacrifice and seruice of God but that they might doe it as they should hee bad them sanctifie themselues that so they might come holily to it as they ought so that he would not haue them come suddenly from feasting to the sacrifices as though it made no matter how they serued God but bad them prepare themselues and besides he saith it may be they haue not blessed God in their hearts that is they haue not so serued God and giuen thankes to him from their hearts as they should haue done So that the best seruants of God knowing what an hard thing it is to serue God haue been desirous to doe all things so that they might be approoued vnto him and when they haue done best they haue somewhat feared that they haue not done so and so haue earnestly desired to see some way that God had accepted of their seruices and prayers Contrarie to this the hypocrites and all formall men The hypocrites thinke that any kinde of seruice is good enough for God who know not what Gods seruice doth meane they thinke that if they doe any outward seruice to him here in the Church or elsewhere hee is bound to take it let it bee done after what manner it will be and they thinke that they haue great wrong offred if it be not And this is that which the Prophet Malachi speaketh of Ye offer vncleane bread vpon mine altar Malach. 1.7 and you say Wherein haue we polluted thee In that yee say The table of the Lord is not to be regarded and if yee offer the blind for sacrifice it is not euill and if yee offer the lame and sicke it is not euill offer it now vnto thy prince will he be content with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hostes Where hee complaineth that for the seruice of God they brought the worst things and they said it made no matter if they brought not of the best where all things in and for the seruice of God should be of the best Where besides that hee saith that this way they brought the seruice of God into contempt he bids them goe and carrie it to their gouernour or any meane man of authoritie and see if hee will take such gifts if they will refuse such presents and thinke themselues abused with such gifts as are not meete for them then the high maiestie of God much more doth not only not receiue such seruice of men as is done carelesly but hee is displeased with it Therefore if it be an hard thing to present the King with any thing that hee may like of and they that vndertake such a matter will vse all diligence to that end then we much more must be perswaded that it is a very hard thing to doe any seruice of prayer or otherwise vnto God so as may be acceptable vnto him and so prepare our selues for it and be carefull to do all things in that manner Yea and when we haue done all let vs pray vnto God to forgiue the weaknes and imperfection of our seruices and to accept them in the righteousnesse and perfect obedience of Christ Which also that they might be they must be according to his word with all our heart being sorie that we can doe no better than we doe For herein consisteth the perfection of our obedience that wee acknowledging with sorrow the imperfection of it and labouring daily after a greater measure of perfection do present it vnto God in the perfection of Christs sacrifice wherein not onely all our sinnes but our imperfections much more are pardoned and not imputed vnto vs. He did esteem the hearing of his prayers as a great fauour of God Thirdly and last of al when to this prayer that they make that God would heare the prayer of the King and some waies shew it he addeth this note of affection Selah it was to shew how he did esteeme of this and how all they should also esteeme of it as of a speciall benefit and great fauour of God if he would so doe and so for it they should be thankfull vnto him As if they had said Let God heare his prayers c. Oh what a great blessing of God were that how should we be bound to him for it what great cause should we haue to be thankfull So then when they prayed for it hee would haue them esteeme it as no common benefit and haue that affection to it Therefore when God had thus done hee doth not onely make another Psalme for the Church to be thankfull to God for it but when in the same hee commeth to make mention of this very thing that they pray for here namely that God had shewed that he had heard his prayer he addeth this Selah againe As Psal 21.2 Thou hast giuen him his harts desire and hast not denied him the requests of his lips Selah As if they had said Oh how much are we bound to him for this what great cause haue wee to bee thankfull what a singular benefit is this worthie alwaies to bee remembred that God hath heard our prayers Here then wee are taught to make great account of this that God at any time doth heare our prayers whatsoeuer we pray for And as wee must make this account before hand when we doe pray so afterwards also If we pray for any thing for soule or bodie for our selues or any of ours for the Church or Common-wealth wee must thus thinke Oh if God will heare my prayers and giue me this thing how shall I be beholding to him for it al the daies of my life So did Iacob also
pray in this time of the plague that all men may profit by it repentance for them strength against them faith in Gods promises the feeling of his loue and all those things that appertaine to the glory of God and those we are sure are according to his will and if wee did aske these more we should receiue more But all outward things as long life health and wealth let vs desire in the second place both with lesse desire and with mindes contented to want them if it bee not Gods will to giue them and so farre wee may bee assured that he will heare vs. And namely for this visitation of the Plague let vs thus pray that all might profit by it to repentance and amendment of life for to that end we are assured that it is sent For as the Apostle saith to the Corinthians when there was great sicknes among them so that many also dyed For this cause meaning sinne 1. Cor. 11.30 whereof he named one that was common among them many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe that is dye for if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged but when we are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord because wee should not bee condemned with the world So that if either wee had not sinned before or hauing sinned we had repented vs in time and iudged our selues God would not thus grieuously haue entred into iudgement with vs. For as Dauid saith he is full of compassion and mercy slowe to anger Psalm 103.8 and of great kindnes and will not alway chide nor keepe his anger for euer though wee offend him continually For if hee should straitly marke our iniquities Psalm 130.3 and deale with vs thereafter who should stand that is no man should be able to abide it But hee deferreth his punishments often to see if men will repent them in time and in deede hee giueth all men sufficient time for that and calleth them to it daily as he did the olde world before the flood by the preaching of Noah Gen. 6.3 giuing them an hundred and twentie yeeres to repent in and so did hee to the wicked Sodomites by the Ministery of righteous Lot before they were consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen and so did he to the Israelites and to the Iewes by all his Prophets before they were carried away into captiuitie and so hath he this long time and often forewarned vs of his iudgements and called vs earnestly vnto repentance by the ministery of all his faithfull seruants in our time before this plague came vpon vs. So that wee cannot say as the diuell did falsely challenge Christ in the Gospell Matth. 8.29 Why art thou come vnto vs before the time But when for all this men goe on in their sinne and will not bee reclaymed nor iudge themselues one whit hee is constrained to iudge vs. Therefore let vs pray that we may profit by it and all his people also euery where and whosoeuer haue any such good desires in them wee may helpe them with our prayers and pray that God would giue them their desire as the people doe here for the King for this is according to Gods will And wee may safely pray for those that are vnder this visitation that God would giue them patience and strength to beare whatsoeuer it shall please God to lay vpon them for this also is according to his will as the Apostle saith God is faithfull 1. Cor. 10.13 which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you bee able but will giue the issue with the temptation that yee may bee able to beare it And that they may patiently beare it So that if any haue this desire that they are contented to bee tried euen this way as well as any other if it bee Gods will so that hee would strengthen them to beare it we may all of vs further them in their prayers and desire God to giue them their hearts desire And thus farre also wee our selues may bee assured that wee haue our part in all the prayers of our brethren this day and at all times as wee doe desire to profit by this hand of God and to haue patience to doe his will in this and all other crosses of his But as for the remouing of it And how farre for the remoouing of it wee may and ought to pray that it may bee in his good time when it is his holy will and as it shall please him so it may bee and that wee might bee willing to waite vpon his leasure and prescribe no time vnto him nor any measure of his dealing but that his will may bee done and not ours as our Sauiour Christ prayed in his greatest agony Father not my will but thine be done then will hee heare vs as hee did him But if wee shall bee impatient and murmur against God and thinke that hee dealeth hardly with vs in continuing so great a plague so long or haue any such wicked desires in our mindes which flesh and blood is ready to offer vnto vs as wee must not dare to offer them vp vnto God so if wee doe none must further them to desire God that hee would giue vs according to our heart If we submit our wils to Gods will then all the Church prayeth for vs. Therefore let euery one examine his owne heart both for this and for any thing else that hee prayeth for and see what it is that hee desireth and how that if hee findeth it to bee according to Gods will hee might haue comfort in the prayers of the Church for in what case so euer hee bee all the Church prayeth with him and for him Thy will bee done So that if his will bee agreeable to Gods will as it ought then all good men and women pray for him continually in all his troubles both of body and minde And truly this is and may bee a great comfort for vs at all times and in all distresses that in what estate so euer wee bee night and day if wee pray vnto God if wee can bring our hearts to this that the desire of them bee according to his will and though wee would faine haue this and that yet euermore with this condition and no otherwise if it bee his blessed will and wee submit all our desires to his holy will and bee contented that not so much our wils as his might take place then the whole Church euery where prayeth for vs and will doe as they did heere for Dauid and so wee neede not doubt but God will heare vs and them in his good time that so wee might waite patientlie vpon him But many men haue such wicked and vngodly desires Many mens desires are so wicked that they are not to be commended to God or men and the purposes of their heart are so bad as they dare not commend them vnto God but hide them from him as
prayer euen that it is an inward desire of the heart vnto God for some thing which he that is the onely searcher of the heart knoweth and so is able to satisfie VVhich is so to be vnderstood not that we should vse no words at all in prayer for they are sometimes necessarie as not only when many pray together that one should speake out aloud that the rest might heare and say Amen but euen many times when we pray alone by our selues that by our speech our minds might be stirred vp and also kept vpon that that wee speake But euen then the substance of our prayer is in the desire of the heart and our words are but signes to testifie and declare the same Though words be vsed yet the desire of the hart is the chiefest so that there can be no true prayer at all without the desire of the heart but there may be very effectuall prayer without words and when in prayer both doth concurre words and desires God respecteth this later more than the former and the desires of our hearts doe crie lowder in the eares of the Lord of hoasts than all the words that we can vse be they neuer so many and so vehement And though desires without words are effectuall yet words without the desire of the heart is nothing worth and therefore Dauid though he vsed both yet here nameth this onely and after when he giueth thankes to God for hearing of his prayers though hee nameth both yet hee placeth this first Psal 21.2 as the chiefe saying Thou hast giuen him his hearts desire and hast not denied him the request of his lips Therefore when we pray let vs prepare our hearts that they may be full of holy desires and in prayer let vs hold out in them and not suffer them to fall for when they decay and die then doe we cease praying though our lips mooue still neuer so fast And so all they that pray in a strange tongue and know not what they say as is the manner of the Papists and so cannot possibly haue any desire in their heart of that that they speake doe not pray at all And therefore though they boast greatly of prayer and say that they did continually pray because they had their beads about them Without which words are not regarded and their lips were going yet in truth there was not neither could there be any prayer at all among them And besides all they in our daies who in the time of prayer haue their minds otherwise occupied than about that that is prayed for though they kneele downe lift vp their eyes and hands and say Amen with the rest do not pray one whit but are as farre from praying as can be though they seeme vnto others to pray very deuoutly Therefore when we come hether to the house of prayer to pray together and one of vs for another they and they only haue the benefit of common prayer who haue their minds attent vpon that that is said and desire from their heart the same thing with the rest For here we pray to God that he would giue to euery one according to his desire if then either they be asleepe or talking or gazing about or otherwise busie then we pray that God would giue them nothing for they desire nothing And hereunto agreeth that which the virgine Marie saith in her song He hath filled the hungry with good things Luk. 1.53 and sent away the rich emptie VVhere she confesseth that those who desire good things of God earnestly as the hungry and thirstie desire meat and drinke those he filleth and bestoweth plentifully vpon them vnto their contentment but they that are rich and full as it were in their owne opinion and so desire nothing of God as they should they receiue nothing but are sent away as emptie as they come And this is so certaine that in prayer God looketh into the heart wholly that it that be mooued to desire earnestly though we speake not a word it is sufficient he knoweth well ynough what we pray for and will graunt it as soone as though we had vsed all the words that might be to persuade For thus it is said of Hannah when she prayed in the temple because she was barren She spake in her heart her lips did mooue only 1. Sam. 1.13 but her voice was not heard and when Hely thought that she had beene drunken because he saw her lips mooue but heard no voice God heareth the desire of the heart whē there are no wordes and told her of it saying How long wilt thou be drunken she answered and said Nay my lord but I am a woman troubled in spirit and haue poured out my soule before the Lord. Then he praied vnto God for her that he would graunt her this petition that she had made in her heart without words and the Lord did so and gaue her a manchild which she prayed for as her selfe doth afterwards confesse Thus we see that God heareth the desire of the heart when there are no words as on the contrarie he careth not for all the words that can be vsed without this desire After this manner also did Nehemiah pray and was heard for when he was waiting at the Kings table for he was his butler by reason of the ill newes which he heard of the Church of God a little before it was perceiued that his countenance was more sad than it was wont to be in former times and the king asked him the cause of it seeing that he was not sicke and said certainely it was nothing else but sorrow of heart Nehem. 2.1 Then Nehemiah told him the cause of it and the king most gratiously bad him require what he would and so he desired of him as it is set downe there But first of all it is said Verse 4. That he prayed to the God of heauen which must needs be thus vnderstood that he did stoutly lift vp his mind vnto God according as the time and place did then require and desired him to blesse him and to mooue the heart of the king to be fauourable towards him for it was not fit for him then to haue kneeled downe and to haue spoken aloud and so haue made a long prayer when the king was at meat and so he offered vp the desire of his heart vnto God though he spake nothing and God graunted it And this is so vndoubtedly true that God in prayer looketh to the desire of the heart Rom. 8.26 that it is said That when we know not what to pray as we ought the spirit of God it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for hee maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God So that when we for paine of bodie or griefe of mind cannot speake one word aright then the very sighes and
oppressions So was it in the time of the Iewes captiuitie when Haman for malice that he bore vnto Mordecay sought his destruction and because his malice was vnsatiable he thought it too litle to lay hands vpon him onely Hest 3.6 but because they had shewed him the people of Mordicay he sought to destroy all the Iewes at once that were throughout the whole kingdome of Ahashuerosh to that end vnder the colour of the kings profit he gat a decree to be sealed with his signet That vpon such a day all of thē should be rooted out destroied both young old women children This seemed vnto him very good pollicie to bring his purpose to passe and when the posts with the kings letters were sent out into all places he might haue thought himselfe sure of it but God did not prosper it and so it came to naught and his purpose was disappointed because God did not fulfill it Chap. 5.14 And afterwards when Zeresh his wife all his friends gaue him this counsel That seeing he was in so great fauor with the king the queen as to be inuited with the king vnto a banquet which the queene had prepared and none but he was inuited that he would make a gibbet of fiftie cubites hie and in the morning when hee went vnto the king that he would speake vnto him that Mordecay might be hanged thereon and then he should goe ioyfully with the king vnto the banquet And that also pleased Haman well and he purposed to doe so But this tooke no place neither because God did not prosper it but contrariwise himselfe was hanged on it by the commaundement of the king and thus he could not bring his purposes to passe because God did not fulfill them But on the other side when Hester and Mordecay did heare of this wicked decree and did aduise with themselues what was best to be done for the safegard of the life of the Iewes and at the last did resolue vpon this Chap. 4.8 That the queene should goe into the king and make supplication for her people and she did so This good counsell and the successe thereof they commended vnto God in prayer yea in fasting and prayer three daies and three nights together and this God blessed and brought it to passe so that they had libertie from the king Chap. 8.11 both to stand for their owne liues and to destroy all the power of the people that vexed them both children and women and to spoyle their goods and they did so And truly if all men in all controuersies which they haue with their aduersaries would first take good counsell according to Gods word and then acknowledge that the successe of it is in Gods hand and pray earnestly vnto him for it they might prosper more in their suites at the law than they doe But because they neglect this and for the most part seeke for craftie counsell such as hath no promise of Gods blessing because it is contrarie to the law of charitie and then in such cases they neither doe nor can pray to God for his blessing vpon it that he would fulfill all their counsell therefore it is not so And thus we see why some are ouerthrowne in their good causes namely they seeke not to God that he would fulfill all their counsels but thinke themselues sufficient without his blessing and so God leaueth them to themselues that by experience they might see it to bee otherwise Therefore let vs profit vnto our dutie by other mens harmes Furthermore whereas Dauid was a king and now gone out to warre and willeth the people at home to pray to God for him That hee would fulfill all his purpose and counsell wee must vnderstand thus much that as he was wise himselfe so he had his counsell both for warre and for peace as all kings haue and they were to aduise him in euery action what was best to be done yet he rested not in that We ought to pray that God would blesse the consultations of the king and his counsellors but desireth the people that they would pray That God would fulfill all which by his grace they should determine and they did so So must we doe for the kings highnesse And though he be godly and wise himselfe and hath many worthie noblemen of his most Honourable priuie Counsell who are of great wisedome and long experience as they must not rest in their owne deuices but commend them vnto God in prayer and desire others also that are about them that they would doe so and by this meanes might they greatly prosper so is it our bound dutie to pray vnto God for them that he would blesse their consultations and bring them to passe for the good of his Church and profit of this realme And as they doe weekely meet at the Counsell table and sometime oftner for matters of State so we should continually commend them to God in all our prayers so shall we haue the benefit of our owne prayers when God shall fulfill the good things that they purpose And as we ought to doe thus alwais so especially against the Parliament we should pray that God would fulfill all the good purposes of that great assembly for the rooting out of Poperie and all remnants of superstition Especially all consultations in the Parliament house and all other abuses and for the establishing and enlarging of the preaching of the Gospel and all other good orders in all places Otherwise we see that good counsell may be giuen but not followed and if it be yet not brought to passe and so there shall not that good be done that might and which many good men in the Parliament house intend Therefore as we desire to enioy the common benefit of our time so let vs pray not onely for the King but for all our gouernors in the Church and Commonwealth That God would fulfill all their purposes Then ought we much more thus to pray for our selues if we were a great deale wiser than we are for when we haue taken the best aduice and thereupon do things to one end they may fall out to another And all our own counsels and purposes yea cleane contrarie to that which we purposed and so we shall be disappointed As for example in matters of mariage which is an ordinarie thing some think to ioyne themselues or their children in alliance with such and such hoping thereby to aduance their houses As in matter of mariage but it falleth out otherwise and by that meanes they come to ruine and so God doth not fulfill their purpose And this was the very case of king Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 18.1 Chap. 21.6 who ioyned himselfe in affinitie with Ahab king of Israel by ioyning his eldest sonne Iehoram in marriage with his daughter and though Iehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance yet the king of Israel was greater than he as hauing more tribes
bestow this benefit vpon me then I will praise him for it As we should doe thus for all Gods benefits We should more specially praise God for those benefits which we haue asked of him so most of all for those which we haue asked of him as they say here When he shall fulfill all thy petitions they had prayed before that God would heare them and now they promise this That they will set vp their banners in his name And there is great reason of this for besides the benefits that we receiue which deserue prayse we haue thereby experience of the goodnesse of God in hearing our praiers Thus we read in the Gospell that when ten leapers were cleansed all of them hauing begged it of Christ before saying Iesus master haue mercie vpon vs Luke 17.17 but one returned to giue thankes and Christ asketh for the other nine and so sheweth what was their dutie also namely that as they had asked this benefit with him so they should haue returned with him to giue thankes And to this end is it sayd so often in the Psalme where he sheweth how in sundry afflictions men crie vnto God and he heareth them and deliuereth them Psal 107.8.15.21.31 Let them therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works before the sonnes of men where he exhorteth all to praise God for those benefits which hee hath bestowed vpon them at their prayers But indeed this doctrine is so well knowne that it needeth no great proofe there is none so ignorant or so vnthankefull that will denie it onely we had need to examine our selues how we doe practise it whether we haue endeuoured to praise God for all his benefits and especially for those that we haue most desired when we haue had thē whether we haue ben any whit the more carefull to set forth the prayse of God for them than before Now if we find by this triall that the more that God hath giuē vs the more we haue glorified him then may we haue comfort and hope of the continuance of them but if in the abundance of all Gods benefits Let vs examin whether as Gods benefits encrease so we set foorth his glory the more we take our ease and set out our selues to the world and grow more proud and be lesse carefull to glorifie God as most commonly it falleth out then we prouoke God to take them away or to punish vs in them Therefore let euery one consider what good he doth with all that he hath and how by Gods blessings as wealth and such like not his owne name is aduaunced but what good he hath done since for the seruice and glory of God If he see they goe together the increase of Gods benefits vpon him and the increase of Gods glory in him it is well and he hath cause to reioyce but if the one increase greatly and the other decay or stand at a stay then it is the next way to loose all As we are taught in the parable of the Talents Matth. 25.24 he that hid that one that he had in a napkin and did no good with it nor vse it to his masters aduantage it was taken from him and he is called an euill and vnprofitable seruant So all are vnprofitable that in their seuerall callings vse not that which God giueth them to his glory and this shal be the end of them That all that they haue shall be taken from them and they shall haue their portion with the wicked That we may reioyce c. As they haue desired helpe of God for the glory of his name and promised to prayse him for it so more particularly they say that they shall reioyce in the saluation of the king They pray for this benefit that they might reioice namely if God would helpe him out of the hands of his enemies and giue him victorie ouer them For in the preseruation of the king was the good of the whole Church and common wealth therefore if he did well they should reioice and in his hurt and losse was the losse of them all and so they should haue cause to sorrow Therfore they vse this also as a reason to persuade the Lord to hear them That wheras now they were doubtfull or rather in great feare he by the victorie would giue them cause to reioice And though they shew whereunto their ioy should tend namely to the prayse of God singing vnto him of his saluation and setting vp their banners in his name yet they exclude not this but rather include it namely the common ioy of all the people and of the whole Church of God So that we may lawfully desire of God such things as we want to this end euen that we might reioyce and this one thing is sufficient to moue the Lord to giue them euen that thereby we might haue cause to reioyce as we must confesse that then we shal haue cause so to doe For besides the comfort of the thing that he giueth which may cleere vp the outward and inward man the inuisible things also of God are to be seene in his creatures and benefites as his wisedome power Rom. 1.20 goodnesse and mercie c. and so in the sight and feeling of the same we may reioyce much more especially when we haue prayed to God for them we may reioyce that God hath heard our prayers And so we may desire God to heare vs that so not onely for his benefits but for his goodnesse towards vs in them and especially in hearing our prayers for them we may reioyce God is willing to blesse his people that they might reioice Behold then I pray you the wonderfull goodnesse of our God who desireth our ioy and comfort and giueth vs things to that end that we might reioyce and would haue vs aske them of him to that end as this people doth here For as among men this often moueth them to heare vs that we professe to them and they see it also that if they shall doe so and so for vs we shall haue great case to reioyce and be glad and whereas now wee for the want of it are in heauinesse and sorrow this will cheere vp our hearts And this is sufficient to moue them that are of any good disposition that in doing for them that are in need we see that we shall make them and theirs right glad and the poore when they sue to them they vse this as a reason and it is accepted Then may we vrge this vnto the Lord much more and we may be assured that it will moue him As parents are willing to doe good to their children to that end For so good is the Lord to all that are his that he delighteth not in their sorow and griefe no more than parents doe in the griefe of their children nay a great deale lesse by how much his loue infinitely without all degree of comparison
carnall and worldly ioy euen thankesgiuing to God who hath bestowed them vpon vs and in them hath giuen vs so great cause of ioy All priuat benefits are causes of ioy And as all common benefits are causes of ioy euen as this people professe here That if God bestow this vpon them they shall reioyce in it so are also all priuat blessings so many causes of ioy to all those that enioy them whether they bee vpon their soules or bodies for this life or the life to come vpon themselues or any of theirs And as the things that they inioy are more and greater than others haue so they ought to confesse that God hath in this vale of miserie giuen them so much cause of ioy For who is he or she or where are they that being in neuer so meane an estate doe not inioy many great benefits from God as life and health libertie conuenient food lodging rayment for which they haue cause to reioyce In which respect the poorest hath great cause of ioy but especially if they haue faith and repentance and the peace of conscience and assurance of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and hope of saluation what cause haue they then to reioyce though they were in neuer so great want besides Therefore in their poore estates they must so cōsider of their wants as that they doe not forget Gods benefits which may make them to reioyce euen in their pouertie and in their affliction So that as the Prophet Elisha said to his seruant who was in great feare and cried out when he saw the great host of armed men which the king of Aram had sent 2. King 6.16 to take them at Dotham Feare not for there are more with vs than against vs for God had sent horses and chariots of fire to defend them So euerie one may say when his estate is at the hardest that there is more with him than is against him that is that he hath more benefits and so more causes of ioy than crosses and so in them causes of sorrow For if we doe but liue especially in these dayes to serue God and to saue our own soules it is better than the estate of many nobles and princes in other parts of the world that haue not these meanes of their saluation that we haue and may haue and in that measure and with that peace and freedome that we haue them in which respect the estate of the poorest is better if they doe see it and can so consider of it than not onely of many nobles but of the great Turke himselfe of the Emperor yea the Pope himselfe who taketh himselfe to be king prince of the whole world For that which Dauid saith of himself is true of all if they could so esteeme of it A day in thy courts Psal 84.10 is better than a thousand otherwhere I had rather be a dore-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse for the Lord God is the sunne and shield vnto vs the Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly Therefore when any of you shall be in such a case that you shall spend away the whole day in sorrow and then at night lie downe in heauinesse as wanting many things necessarie both for food and raiment for lodging and firing besides health countenance which others haue in great measure and yet little pitie those that haue not like vnto that rich glutton that in his great aboundance had no compassion of poore Lazarus then consider I pray you for the loue of Christ and for your owne consolation how many benefits you enioy And in the middest of their wants they must thinke of Gods benefits that they might reioice looke into your soule meditate vpon the graces of God in it if you haue any thinke vpon faith hope and charitie with the feare of God and such like which the Lord in mercie hath bestowed vpon you and reioyce in them Be not stil harping all of one string of your wants for that will giue you but one tune of sorrow But as Dauid sayth I will sing Mercie and Iudgement Psal 101.1 vnto thee O Lord will I sing So let vs haue two strings at the least to our harpe one of our wants and another of Gods benefits that is consider you as well of Gods benefits as of his crosses and more of them than of the other because you had need to find out matter of ioy the cause of sorrow will offer it selfe vnto you fast ynough And therefore if the string of your sorrow be somewhat too high let it downe lower and stretch vp the cord of your ioy one note higher that is thinke more of the causes of your ioy and lesse of the causes of your sorrow and thus your instrument shall well accord and make good musicke which was too dolefull and vntunable before And thus the more cunning you are and the more you can doe the better harmonie shall you make to your selfe and others that is the more you shall reioyce euen then when to the worldward you haue cause of nothing but sorrow Act. 16.23 Thus shall it come to passe That as Paule and Silas after extreame whipping being cast into prison and into a dungeon and had their feet made fast in the stockes did sing Psalmes vnto God at midnight so shall you reioyce in the middest of your affliction be it neuer so great For they at this present not only or not so much considered their imprisonment beating and stocking which did minister nothing to them but matter of griefe but rather other great benefits and fauours of God which with them they enioyed and so must you doe likewise consider the one as well as the other So shall not onely your selues haue comfort but God shall haue prayse and for want of this wise consideration of both neither haue you ioy in your selues nor God honour from you in that estate though he hath giuen you sufficient cause of both And as for the rich what great cause of ioy they haue in the multitude of so many great benefits as they enioy of whom it may be truly said as the Apostle saith of the Gentiles Act. 14.17 when he preached vnto them That God had filled their hearts with food and gladnesse themselues do best know I need say little or nothing to them So that in such an estate as many are in if they cannot reioyce but liue in heauinesse and discontentedly whereby they can neither serue God so cheerefully nor praise him so continually as they should they are altogether vnworthie of all I need not therefore say any thing to them their owne eyes and hands their backes and their bellies can tell them sufficiently what cause they haue to reioyce What cause the rich haue to liue ioyfully and comfortably their apparrell and their clothing
wherewith they are kept from cold when others goe halfe naked quake for cold their food in aboundance and of the best both for necessitie and delight when others are pinched with hunger haue but bread and drinke and not ynough of that who themselues and their children do eat by measure and by weight to draw out their food at length their soft and warme lodging when others lie hard and cold and scarcely can be warme all night These and many things els can put them in mind from day to night and from night to day what great cause they haue to reioyce aboue many others Let them then in the name of God so consider of them that they may reioyce for God hath giuen them to them to that end as Salomon saith in the booke of the Preacher Eccle. 2.24 That this is the fruit of all that a man can haue of all that he hath to eat and to drinke and to reioyce in the blessings of God and yet that also is the gift of God as he confesseth there Therefore they aboue all others must confesse that God hath giuen them great cause of ioy and nothing can so befall them vnlesse God take all away from them as hee did from Iob but they must needs acknowledge that still they haue cause to reioice So that it is not onely lawfull for them in and for these to reioice but it is necessarie that they should doe so and it is required at their hands insomuch that if they were so blind that they would not confesse that they had great cause of ioy all men would by the benefits which they enioy in great number witnesse against them and if they were so froward that they would not reioice all men would condemne them for it And thus we see that all sorts in respect of Gods benefits which he hath bestowed vpon them haue cause to reioice The prayse of God must be the fruit of our ioy But what is to be done in this ioy and for all these causes of ioy it followeth in the next words of the text on this wise And set vp our banners in the name of our God that is praise God for them for we see here how they are ioyned together That we may reioice in thy saluation and set vp our banners in the name of the Lord our God So they say that this should be the fruit of their ioy they would praise God in it for the cause of it And this ought to be the fruit of true ioy in all men and for all things For as all good and godly sorrow should driue vs vnto prayer that God might turne that away from vs or remooue it for which we doe sorrow so on the contrarie all true and godly ioy should driue vs to thankesgiuing for that which is the cause of our ioy And as herein godly and wordly sorrow differ that the one many times driueth to despaire or causeth sicknesse and so death in the end 2. Cor. 7.10 the other causeth repentance neuer to bee repented of and so prayer to God for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes which haue iustly brought vpon vs that cause of sorrow So on the other side herein godly ioy differeth from worldly ioy the one maketh a man secure and to forget God and to rest in himselfe and sometimes to be prophane and to keep no measure in things but to abuse that that he hath but the other inlargeth the heart to praise God and maketh him to goe out of the things themselues the causes of his ioy vnto God the author of them And thus doth the Apostle very excellently by these fruits note out vnto vs true sorrow Iam. 5.13 and true ioy when he saith Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merrie let him sing where hee maketh prayer the fruit of sorrow in affliction and thankesgiuing the fruit of ioy in Gods benefits And S. Paule doth shew vs at large the difference betweene the worldly ioy of the wicked and the godly ioy of the righteous when he sayth to the Ephesians Ephe. 5.18 Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be fulfilled with the spirit speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in your hearts And therein true ioy differeth from all worldly ioy giuing thankes alwaies for all things vnto God euen the father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ wherein one kind as in feasting which is lawfull and common to the good and bad and which is an honest means to make men merry and glad hee sheweth the diuersitie of the mirth of the one and of the other The men of this world they exceed and fall into the abuse of Gods creatures sometimes till they be drunken or haue surfeited and so also giue themselues vnto that mirth which is excessiue and immoderat and sometimes yea commonly ioyned with prophane scoffing or some wickednesse The children of God vsing his creatures soberly and in his presence euen at their feasts doe thereby prouoke one another to prayse God and make themselues merry in God and as in his sight VVee see then what should be the fruit of our ioy in Gods benefits namely the prayse of God and to what end also hee giueth to vs so many things wherein we may reioyce euen that he might haue the whole glorie and prayse of them So that whether we be poore or we be rich haue we more or haue we lesse to reioyce in this must be the fruit of all that we praise God for such things as make vs to reioyce And so as there is none in the world but hee hath some cause of ioy so the Lord looketh for continuall prayse at the hands of vs all but as many haue more cause to reioyce than others Thus all haue cause to praise God by reason of the manifold blessings which they enioy aboue them so he looketh for more prayse and thankes at their hands than of others as there is good cause For to whom much is giuen of them much shall be required VVhich if they doe not labour to performe and profit by Gods benefits and by their ioy in them to that end it may come to passe that the wicked may haue as much ioy in the things that they possesse as themselues yea the very vnreasonable creatures and the brute beasts in their kind for if our ioy end not in the prayse of God what are we better for it than they Therefore it is not ynough for a man to say I liue merrily and at my hearts ease I haue many causes of ioy I am void of sorrow and griefe I haue nothing that doth trouble me but am in continuall mirth it is not ynough I say to be in this estate and thus to boast and say but we must labour to be thankefull vnto God for it who is the cause of it let our ioy in these
things lead vs vnto him then shall it appeare in truth that our ioy is not so much carnall as spirituall not altogether worldly but heauenly Thus haue the seruants of God behaued themselues in time past in the midst of their ioy as that good king Iehoshaphat and his people when God gaue them victorie ouer their enemies according to their prayer euen ouer that great hoast of the Ammonites and the Moabites and those of mount Seir of whom it is thus written 2 Chron. 20 25. That they destroyed one another So that when Iudah came to Mizpeh in the wildernesse they looked vnto the multitude The godly haue ended their greatest ioy with thāksgiuing and behold the carkasses were fallen on the earth and none escaped and when Iehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoile of them they found among them in abundance both of substance and also of bodies laden with pretious iewels which they tooke for themselues till they could cary no longer for they were three dayes in gathering of the spoile for it was much Then euery man of Iudah and Ierusalem returned with Iehoshaphat their head to goe againe to Ierusalem with ioy for the Lord had made them to reioyce ouer their enemies Thus they reioyced greatly as they had cause both for the victory and for the spoile but what followed vpon that the praise of God for it is said in the verse going before That in the fourth day they assembled themselues in the valley of Berachah for there they blessed the Lord therefore they called the name of the place the valley of Berachah that is of blessing or praysing of God vnto this day So that as their ioy was great so was their thankesgiuing and praise to God great and famous so that the place had the name of it And they did not tarrie vntill they came home to Ierusalem to giue thankes there which yet it is most like that afterwards they did but euen in that place where God gaue them cause of ioy and whilest that lasted that they might doe it the better So we see that they practised that which is spoken of here they so reioyced in the saluation that God gaue to the king and to all the people that they did set vp their banners in his name when he had fulfilled their petitions which they had made vnto him before So must we also in all feares that we be in when God shall deliuer vs out of them as he did these and so giue vs cause to reioyce we must prayse his name for it as they did As for example when it shall please God to put an end euery where vnto this great mortalitie of the pestilence that hath a long time beene in many places of this land and is still then all shall haue cause to reioyce So must we do when God shall make vs glad by taking away this plague But as we meet now from weeke to weeke and from day to day to pray to God for it so must wee then meet againe in the valley of Berachah to prayse him for it that is we must publickely and often meet to giue thankes vnto him and to set vp our banners in his name that hath so gratiously fulfilled our petitions And in the meane season looke in how many feares we haue beene in either of that or of any other thing and haue escaped it and so now we are glad we must yeeld so many prayses vnto God for the same That vertuous woman Hannah when she had by prayer obtained the benefit of a sonne she greatly reioyced as she had cause and as she confesseth her selfe saying My soule reioyceth in the Lord my horne is exalted in the Lord 1. Sam. 2.1 c. Before that she was sad and wept and could not eat her meat nor hide her griefe because her barrennesse was reprochfull vnto her but now she reioyceth and in this ioy looketh vp to God and prayseth him saying Mine heart reioyceth in the Lord and she maketh a song of thankesgiuing vnto God as appeareth by the wordes following So must we doe in all the benefits that God bestoweth vpon vs I meane not only reioyce in them as naturall men but prayse God for them as spirituall that so our ioy might be such as it should Let vs then consider in the feare of God how many times we haue reioyced and that with exceeding great ioy when God hath had no praise nor thanks from vs at all know assuredly that that ioy hath not bin rightly ordered for God doth make vs reioice not for our selues alone but for himselfe also yea principally that he might be praysed for it Therefore we must be carefull that these two goe together alwayes namely our owne reioycing and the prayse of God As the blessed virgin Marie doth ioyne them together in her song Luke 1.56 My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour where she ioyneth her owne ioy with the praise of God and maketh the one the cause of the other So that whether wee ioy in the common benefits of our time wee must prayse God for them as Iehoshaphat and his people did or wee reioyce in our priuat benefits as Hannah and Marie did we must prayse God for them so shall our ioy be not onely comfortable to our selues Our ioy and Gods prayse should goe together but acceptable vnto God and profitable vnto others when as the more benefits that we haue the more we reioyce and the more we reioyce the more thankefull are we to God for the same VVe doe not therefore find fault with myrth we forbid not men to be merry be it farre from vs that we should be so Stoicall seuere nay we exhort all men to it and shew that they ought when God giueth them cause only that kind of myrth is condemned in the Scripture which tendeth to the dishonour of God or when they fall into excesse or they cannot be merry but they will be mad also as we say so that they throw firebrands and deadly things and say Prou. 26.19 They are but in sport as Solomon speaketh of them or that kind of myrth wherein God hath no prayse at all which is the best kind of myrth that the wicked and men of this world haue VVe allow of that wherein God is praysed and of that onely for though we be not bound in all our myrth to sing Psalmes neither indeed can we yet after all our myrth both for it and for all causes of it we should giue thankes vnto God But many are so farre from this that they reioyce in such things for which they cannot prayse God yea for such which it is shame once to name whom we leaue vnto God that he may giue them better minds others though they haue cause of honest and lawfull ioy yet they forget to be thankefull for it for whom let vs pray also and for our selues
that he will put an happie end to it in time though most righteously deserued and pardon their sinnes that haue beene the cause of it that so wee might say before hand Now I know that God will heare vs as indeed by his grace at this present we doe and may see most cleerely that by diminishing of it in the chiefe cities and places of this Realme where it is and that also by lessening of it in so great measure He hath heard our prayers and graunted our requests That so hereafter by this blessed experience that we haue in one thing we might be moued to come vnto him in great assurance not doubting but that he will heare vs then also And thus alwayes from time to time Hebr. 4.16 as the Apostle sayth Come boldly into the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and find grace to helpe in time of need and therefore we must take this blessing vpon our brethren as a fruit of our daily prayer and marke it well to that end Experience of former times increaseth our assurance of being heard in prayer And this is that that should be spoken of also concerning that assurance that we should haue in prayer of being heard That by dayly experience of Gods goodnesse and mercifull dealing with vs we shall dayly grow therein and therefore that we might come vnto it it is requisit that wee should greatly acquaint our selues with prayer and pray often and marke the sequell and what followeth after our prayers For concerning this one point it must needs be a very good reason when we doe pray to make vs know that God will heare vs when we know already by experience that he hath often heard vs before For seeing the same promises still remaine and God is the same that made them to performe them and there is no change in him for as the Apostle where he speaketh of prayer and to incourage vs to aske saith That he giueth liberally and reprocheth no man and after saith Iames 1.5.17 that there is no variablenesse with him nor shadow by turning that is though the sunne by turning from the East to the VVest Reasons of the same maketh great alterations so that it is sometime light and sometime darke and besides the shadow is now here and now there and so is not alwayes alike yet it is not so with God but he is alwayes like himselfe Therfore as he hath giuen in former times so will he do still if we pray to him as we haue done for he is no niggard but giueth liberally to all that aske reprocheth no man with that that he hath giuen nei is he any changeling but constant in all his wayes And besides Iesus Christ the mediatour of the promises Hee is the same to day that he was yesterday and will be euer Hebr. 13.8 and 7.24 and he at the right hand of God maketh request for vs continually and is not wearie of his office neither is his loue diminished one whit towards vs. Therefore we may wel build our hope for the time to come vpon our former experience as vpon a sure rocke that shall not bee remooued And so we may pray as Dauid did Psal 119 149. O Lord quicken me according to thy custome as if he had sayd Thou hast often heretofore quickened and reuiued me by thy word and by thy spirit therefore doe so now also in this great sorrow and deadnesse of mind for I stand in as much need of it as euer I did and thou art as well able to doe it as thou hast beene Thus from the custome of Gods former dealing he hopeth that he will doe so now And indeed there is great reason of it for if we haue had often recourse to any man for help in the time of our trouble we haue seene how he hath bin most willing to do it from time to time we will not doubt of him but that he will doe so still and that we shall find him a faithfull friend vnto vs as hetherto he hath bin the oftner that we haue made triall of him and haue found that he neuer deceiued vs the bolder we are to come vnto him and do assure our selues of help from him aboue all other in the world so that if all should faile we would make account of him And we see that the beggers that goe vp and downe from doore to doore will be most bold of releefe there where they haue had often almes and if they should find it otherwise at any time they would greatly maruaile at it and thinke that there were some strange alteration in them and they would say to them You had wont to be a good master and mistris vnto me and to do so and so for me and that made me the bolder to come vnto you now thus would they plead for themselues So we then much more vpon former experience of our prayers heard and of the reliefe that wee haue found at Gods hand seeing there is no change in him nor in his promises must learne to know that if there be no change in vs but we be the same that we haue been and seeke to him and serue him as we haue done he will heare vs and helpe vs as he hath done before That we might haue this experience we must vse prayers not seldome but often To this end it is requisit that we pray often for experience ariseth not of one action nor of some few but of many and the best experience is gotten by the obseruation of many things in a long time and therefore they that liue long and practise much haue the greatest and best experience So that if we will haue experience of Gods goodnesse in hearing our prayers that thereby we might know that he will heare vs still we must pray often and be well acquainted with this holy ordinance of prayer For as among men it is not the comming once or twice to a man and that a long time one after another yea though he speedeth that can giue him any great encouragement to presume of his helpe in the time of great need but that hee hath beene long acquainted with him and made often triall of him So is it with God it is not the praying now and then to him that can by experience giue vs any great assurance that he will heare vs and helpe vs in time of our trouble but that we haue vsed it often and vsed it a long time and haue found that we haue neuer beene sent away emptie For the Lord sometimes heareth the wicked and now and then giueth them something that they aske but as they pray seldome so oftentimes they aske and receiue not Iam. 4.3 Isai 1.15 as the Apostle saith yea they crie and the Lord heareth them not but as they haue stopped their ears at the word of God so he stoppeth his eares at their prayers so they can haue no assurance
lawful and is lawfully called thereunto as hauing gifts sit for it and comming vnto it by all ordinarie good meanes that God will maintaine them in the same and they should be assured of it in themselues because they are the Lords annointed that is placed in those roomes by him And thus did all the Apostles and the Prophets also before them comfort themselues in those callings of the Church which were full of labor and trouble that they were persuaded that the Lord had set them aworke and they did not come before they were sent otherwise they might haue fainted many times vnder their great burdens And namely thus did the Prophet Ieremie comfort himselfe before the Lord And so did the Prophet Jeremie against the mocks and taunts of his enemies who said that destruction should not come to Ierusalem as he had prophecied because it was still deferred Ierem. 17.15 and so derided the threatnings of God in his mouth saying Where is the word of the Lord let it come now But hee answereth them thus first That the Lord had called him vnto that office of being a Prophet and that he had not thrust in himselfe and then That he had faithfully executed the same therfore prayed God to defend him in the next words Vers 16. But I haue not thrust in my selfe a Pastour after thee neither haue I desired the day of miserie thou knowest that which came out of my lips was right before thee Be not terrible vnto me c. And God heard his prayer for when the citie was destroyed hee was saued and had libertie to goe whether hee would and during the siege God kept him out of the hands of the princes who sought to kill him and though he was once cast into a dungeon yet he was taken out of it againe And thus also when God appeared vnto Moses in the wildernesse in a bush when he was keeping sheep and sent him to deliuer the children of Israel out of their grieuous bondage he doing his message vnto Pharoah the king doth not onely not let them goe but oppresseth them a great deale more whereupon the officers of the children of Israel meeting with Moses and Aaron Exod. 4.20 as they came from the king like men in a great passion brake out into bitter and vnseemely words against them and prayed God to looke vpon them and iudge them for they had made their sauour stinke before Pharoah and before his seruants And Moses the man of God VVhereupon Moses prayeth vnto God and somewhat comforteth himselfe in this trouble with hope of some good successe from his calling that he was the Lords annointed and that hee had sent him to doe that that he did For it is said That hee returned vnto the Lord Verse 22. and said Lord why hast thou afflicted this people Wherefore hast thou sent me for since I came to Pharoah to speake in thy name he hath vexed this people and yet thou hast not deliuered thy people VVhere the ground of his prayer both for himselfe and for the people is this That the Lord had sent him to doe that that he did and therefore he desireth to see some better successe And so may all faithfull ministers of the word of God who are assured that they are called vnto that office place where they are So may all faithfull ministers of Gods word called I say by God and not by men only and so doe deliuer the message of God faithfully vnto them out of his word if all things fall not out with them at the first and they see not that successe of their labours that they desire yea if things seeme to be a great deale worse than they were before they came and themselues are vniustly blamed for it as Moses was here they may with a good conscience goe vnto God in their prayers and seeke redresse saying That he hath sent them to do that they doe and therefore desire the Lord that hee would assist them and blesse them with better successe and then they shall see that the Lord will not forsake them but stand by them and defend them in their calling as it is said here in this Psalme I know that the Lord will helpe his annointed And as he then gaue this answere vnto Moses That it should appeare that he had not called him to that office in vaine but would defend him in it Exod. 6.1 and giue good successe vnto his labours For in the next chapter it is thus written The Lord said vnto Moses Now thou shalt see what I will doe vnto Pharoah for by a strong hand hee shall let them goe and euen bee constrained to driue them out of his land that is he shall feele the Lords hand so heauie vpon him that he should not onely be willing to let them goe though he obstinatly refused it but should by force driue them out as indeed afterwardes hee did as appeareth in the rest of that story Exod. 12.33 And this assurance of our calling must not onely a little comfort vs at the first but in the whole course and ministerie of the same and in all things that shall befall vs in the execution of it that we may with a good conscience pray vnto God that as wee haue not intruded our selues neither haue had our calling onely from men but from him so he would heare vs and helpe vs in all things that we doe according to the same And as no doubt there is great comfort in this that a man is thus assured of his calling and without this he may often be dismaid so in that respect it is requisit It is requisit therefore that euery one should be fully persuaded of the lawfulnesse of his calling that not onely they but all others in their seuerall places should be assured that they haue their callings of God that so they may in faith pray for his defence For this cause we see how immediatly from God the Prophets had their callings to whom God spake and appeared in visions as to Moses to Ezekiel and to Ieremie and the rest how the Iudges were raysed vp extraordinarily that in their great attempts they might be assured that God had called them to that place Iudg. 6.37 and especially how carefull Gedeon was of it by making triall twise in a fleece of woll And how Paule and all the rest of the Apostles were called immediatly by Christ that when they should meet with so many incomberances as they did they might not doubt of their calling and so of Gods protection And so againe what order was set downe by God both for the succession of the Priests and Leuits and for their seuerall offices and places and what for the succession of the kings and what in the new Testament is for the choise of ministers and what in the scripture for magistrates that so all might thereby be assured that they haue their callings from