profit by it to amendment of life if he should also giue vs patience yea if hee should take vs away in this plague and should assure vs in the middest of all pains and feares of death of the forgiuenes of all our sinnes and giue vs good hope of euerlasting life and of the resurrection of our bodies that when wee giue vp the Ghost wee might boldly say Father into thy hands I commend my spirit might wee not bee well assured by these that God had heard our prayers Therefore if affliction and trouble doe come let vs see how we profit by it and what patience God giueth and so accordingly be assured that God hath heard our prayers And that the Lord in mercy will thus deale with vs wee may be assured of it so many as pray to him aright and this must be sufficient for vs and a sure token that God hath heard our prayers that wee might bee thankfull to him for it Therefore let vs not cease praying vnto him night and day not doubting but that God in his good time will turne our burnt offerings into ashes that is some way or other shew that he hath heard our prayers to his glory and the comfort of our selues and of our brethren Selah The vse of it for musicke Selah The Hebrew word retained in the Latine and English translations for the Greeke hath it not vsed for the most part only in the Psalmes which were made to bee sung in the temple noteth a vehement lifting vp of the voyce and especially thereby also a contention and affection of the minde so that the Musitions when they came to this word which was vnto them as a direction in Musicke did not so much sing it or say it as we doe now but letting it passe thereby did know that they should lift vp their voyces on high to that end that thereby their minds and the minds of others might be moued with that that was then sung according to the matter thereof And so it was a note of some change in the musick and thereby also in the minds euen as wee when wee speake of any waightie matter wee put in some note of exclamation or word to stir them vp to attention and to marke it diligently as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell often in such cases and to this end vseth this word Behold So was this word vsed to stirre vp their voyces and thereby to stirre vp their minds That kinde of musicke that was then vsed in the temple for which this was written is now ceased with the rest of that Leuiticall kind of seruice And for the affections of the mind and so there is no more vse of it that way yet still it is carefully retained in the text and there is good vse of it in the Church for it serueth to the stirring vp of the mind with some speciall affection vnto that whereunto it is affixed which affection must alwaies be according to the matter contayned in those words whereunto this is adioyned And therefore it noteth out not any one speciall affection of the mind as some interiections doe but diuers and generally all kind whatsoeuer which must be in vs diuersly according to the matter As in the third Psalme it is vsed three times for three seuerall affections according to that that is said there Psalm 3.2 as Many say to my soule there is no helpe for him in his God Selah As if he should say O what a great calamitie or crosse is that I am greatly affected with that and would haue others to bee so too and pity mee thereafter Verse 4. And I did call vnto the Lord with my voyce and he did heare me out of his holy mountaine Selah They said God had forsaken him but hee prayed vnto God and God heard him and then hee addeth Selah as if hee had said Oh what a good God is that and how is that to be marked And lastly in the same Psalme Saluation belongeth vnto the Lord Verse 8. and thy blessing is vpon thy people Selah As if he had said God only can saue and he saueth his people and then affixeth Selah As if he had said Oh what a blessed thing is that and how should wee therefore put our trust in him So here when Dauid had willed them to pray that God would remember his prayers and shew that hee had heard them he addeth Selah to stirre vp their minds and his owne Theirs that they might pray this earnestly for him and know that he had great need of it for hee commended it vnto them with some feeling and hee knew that it was a great thing to offer vp any thing to God that should bee acceptable vnto him if we consider his excellency and our own vnworthines And for himselfe that he would esteeme this as a great benefit if the Lord would shew that he had heard his prayers euen as hee confesseth in the next Psalme Psalm 21.2 Thou hast giuen him his hearts desire and hast not denied him the request of his lippes where hee doth also adde this note Selah to shew that as before they did earnestly pray for it so now they should be greatly affected in thankesgiuing with it and as they had a feeling of their want in praying for it so they should haue of the goodnes of God in giuing thankes for the same and so both in the one and in the other to haue their minds specially moued with that they said Generally wheresoeuer this is vsed The generall vse of this word we must carefully marke it and make some good vse of it according to the matter where it is vsed For though the whole Scripture be excellent in it selfe and in euery part of it as being giuen by the inspiration of the holy Ghost 2. Tim. 3.16 and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works yet some parts haue more speciall vse to vs in some cases than other and therefore some are commended vnto vs with the title of excellencie as all the Psalmes commonly called of degrees Psalm 120.1 or as others reade it of excellencies because in that shortnes they containe some excellent matter So also in the same Psalme some part may bee of greater vse and of more note and obseruation for some causes than some other part of the same as here in this Psalme though hee commended the whole Psalme vnto them and whole matter of the same as appeareth by the title and inscription of the same and the whole discourse of it yet in it the matter of this verse he doth specially commend vnto them for some causes with this marke or note then well knowne because it was in great vse when he addeth Selah So also in another Psalme Dauid commendeth one thing vnto them with a double note Psalm 9 16. Higgaion
are aliants and strangers from it haue been of opinion that if any of the faithfull seruants of God in his Church would pray for them that God would be mercifull vnto them for their sakes then how much more they that are the true members of the Church of God may verely beleeue that God will heare their fellow brethren for them For as in a familie if strangers can hope that if some seruant of speciall account doe speake to the master for them hee will doe some thing at their request then they that are of the same house may bee assured much more that the intreatie of their fellow seruants shall doe them much good So in the house of God Ephe. 2.12 if they that are strangers from the couenant of promise and haue no hope and are without God in the world yet thinke that his seruants shall be heard for them then how much more may they that are of the household of faith themselues beleeue that God will heare their fellow seruants for them seeing that he hath not onely giuen them leaue but commanded them to speake and intreate one for another and themselues are such alreadie as hee meaneth to doe good vnto And this is that that we reade of in the person of Pharaoh King of Egypt Pharaoh often desired Moses and Aaron to pray for him who though he could not abide Moses and Aaron yet when the hand of God was heauie vpon him hee was many times compelled to seeke to them for their prayers and his owne conscience did tell him that the Lord might happely heare them for him though himselfe was vnworthie once to bee regarded of him As when himselfe and his land was punished with frogs hee called for them and said Pray yee vnto the Lord Exod. 8.8 that hee may take away the frogges from me and from my people and afterwards when they were punished with great swarmes of flyes so that the earth was corrupt with them he said I will let you goe Vers 28. that yee may sacrifice vnto the Lord your God in the wildernesse but goe not farre away pray for me and thirdly when the Lord sent thunder and haile and lightning so that the fire was mingled with the haile he sent and called for them and said vnto them Chap. 9.27 I haue now sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Pray ye vnto the Lord for it is enough that there be no more mightie thunders and haile and I will let you goe and ye shall tarie no longer Where at the last hee confesseth himselfe and all his people to bee wicked and to haue deserued these plagues but he prayeth these his seruants to pray to God for them and they doe so and at their prayers the Lord remoueth these seuerall plagues Thus this wicked man when he was in the middest of his deserued punishments and had no heart in them to goe to God himselfe yet sought to others that he was well perswaded of and receiued great good often by their prayers Ieroboam desired the Prophet to pray for him when his hand was withered So did that wicked man Ieroboam King of Israel of whom it is often said to his shame that hee caused Israel to sinne when the man of God came out of Iudah at the commandement of the Lord vnto Bethâ—el where hee stood by his idolatrous altar to offer incense and reproued for his idolatrie and cried out against the altar he hearing it stretched out his hand and said Lay hold on him but his hand which he put out against him dried vp and he could not pull it in againe to him Then the King said vnto the man of God 1. King 13.6 I beseech thee pray vnto the Lord thy God and make intercession for me that mine hand may be restored vnto me And the man of God besought the Lord and the Kings hand was restored and became as it was afore So though he could not pray himself and say I beseech thee my God with hope that God would heare him yet hee desireth the Prophet to pray to his God and thought that another might be heard for him and so he was Thus did Zedekiah King of Iudah though neither himselfe nor the Princes could abide Ieremy the Prophet Zedekiah desired the prayers of Ieremy neither did they reuerence him or the doctrine that he deliuered vnto them for they would not obey the words of the Lord which he spake vnto them yet when they were in great distresse Jerem. 37.3 because the Chaldeans did besiege the citie hee sent certaine men vnto him saying Pray now vnto the Lord our God for vs. Behold how the most vngodly are driuen to iustifie this holie ordinance of prayer in such wise that they are compelled to seeke to those sometimes for their prayers whom otherwise they doe not loue neither haue any good opinion of but rather hate them and account them their enemies Euen as those in our time who though they neuer cared for the ministerie of the word nor for the assemblies of Gods people nor for his seruants yet when they are in any great miserie or feare and lie at the point of death are inforced to send to them whom they neuer cared for in their life and to intreate them to pray for them whom they would neuer intreate for any thing before Lastly Simon Magus the Sorcerer heard Peter the Apostle iustlie denounce the fearefull iudgement of God against him for his sinne he fearing it Act. 8.24 desired Peter to pray for him saying Pray ye to the Lord for me that none of these things which ye haue spoken may come vpon me This wicked man who of a long time had bewitched the Samaritanes with his sorceries And Simon Magus of Peter saying that himselfe was some great man hoped that al that euill which his sinnes had deserued and which God had threatned against him might by the prayers of his seruants be turned from him and so hee escape them Shall not wee then much more who haue a desire to please God and to walke in his waies hope that the prayers of others shall be auaileable to turne from vs al those euils which our own consciences tell vs we haue iust cause to feare if wee seeke vnto them for them Let vs then in the feare of God and as we loue our owne wealth determine to practise this Christian dutie much more than we haue done and let vs be heartely sorie that for want of it we haue neglected our own good too much What good we might haue gotten if we had sought to others for their prayers For many great things might wee haue obtained many fearefull troubles might wee soone haue been deliuered out of yea some grieuous things that haue befallen vs might haue bin by the grace of God wisely preuented if we had sought vnto others who might haue intreated the Lord for vs. In which
made vnto prayer which are infinit in number and vnmeasurable in greatnesse but take one for an example Christ saith in the Gospell Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Matth. 7.7 which hee deliuereth without limitation that we might know that it is not to be restrained to our selues but if wee aske for others wee shall receiue for them Then let vs set before our eyes the manifold and happie experience of the truth of these promises in all the seruants of God And by the experience of them in others who by their prayers haue obtained great things for others as we haue heard alreadie that when wee shall finde this way Gods word and all his promises pure and most certainly to be trusted vnto as siluer that is tried in a fornace of earth Psal 12.6 and fined seuen fold we might relie vpon them and so be willing to pray for others knowing that we shall not lose our labor Thirdly to these wee must adde the consideration of our owne experience But most of in our selues and remember for whom wee haue prayed and how often and what hath been the successe of our prayers As how wee haue prayed heretofore for the life and preseruation of our gouernours and namely of our late Soueraigne Ladie of famous memorie Queen Elizabeth and how God hath often deliuered her from many great treasons intended against her by the Iesuites and other Papists how we haue prayed for others as for the life health and prosperitie of our parents husbands wiues children neighbours and friends in their seuerall griefes of minde and infirmities of bodie and other distresses and what hath followed thereupon as how they haue been recouered and comforted and otherwise holpen and relieued how here in the Church we haue sometimes prayed for those that haue been very sicke euen at deaths doore who haue receiued the sentence of death in themselues and yet they haue recouered and some of them are aliue still that so as Dauid said vpon his former triall The Lord that deliuered me out of the paw of the lion 1. Sam. 17.37 and out of the paw of the beare hee will deliuer me out of the hand of this Philistim so wee might vpon our former experience boldly say God that of his mercie and goodnes hath vouchsafed to heare me for such and such wil heare me also at this time for these To this end also wee must wisely obserue and diligently marke for our owne comfort and the good of others what hath followed vpon our prayers and what God hath wrought or done for them Yea all they that desire the prayers of others for any speciall cause whether of the Church generally or of priuate men particularly should signifie vnto them afterwards which few or none doe and it is a great vnthankfulnes in them vnto God and man not to doe it what blessings they haue found vpō themselues by such prayers not onely that they might bee thankfull to God for them as they prayed for them before but that being confirmed by such experience they might the more willingly and boldly pray for them and for others at some other time as there shall be neede and for want of this they cannot doe it so cheerefully and so confidently as otherwise they might doe To conclude the summe of all that hath been said in one word How greatly men faile in neglecting to pray for others we see what is here required of vs euen that we bee mindfull to pray for others and what good reason there is for it both in respect of our owne comfort and of their good let vs examine our selues to see whether wee haue been so carefull to performe this dutie vnto them as we should How often haue wee and doe we pray for the good estate of the Church of God in other countries as in France the Netherlands Geneua and such like that God would defend them from their enemies and inlarge the kingdome of Christ among them Nay how often doe wee pray for the Church of God in this land and in the kingdomes vnited How often for the Kings Maiestie the right honourable Councellors Iudges and Magistrates not onely of this land but more specially of our owne countrey How often for our neighbours yea particularly and by name for them of our owne family as for al our children and seruants Yea let vs call into our minds how often wee haue prayed seriously and in good earnest for those that haue desired our prayers and haue as it were made a couenant of prayer with vs by promising that they would pray for vs if we would remember thē whether we haue carefully kept this promise and couenant or no and when we shall finde that wee haue greatly failed this way let vs be sorie that wee haue not done that good this way that we might and that hath been looked for at our hands and therefore that wee cannot haue that comfort in the common blessings of God in church and common wealth and vpon priuate men that others haue And let vs determine for the time to come to be more mindful of others in our prayers and let vs be so indeede especially of all the Church of God and of all those that we haue made this promise vnto and so haue bound our selues to it by a couenant in the Lord that so the Lord may also reward vs with the prayers of others and with the fruit of the same in our greatest neede when wee shall haue carefully performed this dutie vnto them before Especially let vs remember to pray for the King and for all our gouernours as wee are bound thereunto both by the word of God and the lawes of the realme as if wee had made a certaine promise to them for it THE FOVRTH SERMON vpon the first verse The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble THus the people doe speake vnto God in the behalfe of their King and so they pray for him The people pray for king Dauid that God would heare him and defend him This practise of theirs must be our imitation for it is the dutie of all subiects likewise to pray for their Princes and gouernours and as wee doe owe vnto them tribute custome feare and honour as the Apostle saith Rom. 13.7 so this dutie of prayer also and most of all and therefore it is a great fault in any to neglect it let vs therefore doe it So should we all doe for our King and that of conscience publikely and priuately Men for the most part are addicted to themselues or to their friends in prayer the King they think is a great way off and so the prouerbe with them is too true Out of sight out of minde or they thinke he is well enough and hath all things at will therfore he needeth not so greatly to be prayed for especially of vs. Surely we cannot
therefore we must commend the care of al vnto God who saith Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it And Psal 127.1 It is in vaine for a man to rise early and to lie downe late and to eate the bread of sorrow but he will giue rest to his beloued Therefore wee must say and doe as Dauid did And 16.5.8 Thou wilt maintaine my lot And againe I haue set the Lord alwaies before me for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide Wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth my flesh also doth rest in hope Where wee see how he commended the care of himselfe and of all that he had vnto the Lords protection whereupon it came to passe that he not only was defended but had a quiet minde and bodie as he saith also in another place I will lay me down And 4.8 and also sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest me dwell in safetie And so wee must ascribe all our defence for the time past to him The defence of our King is only of God and trust only to him for the time to come And now for the present state of our time we must beleeue that all the defence of our King from all daungers is and must come onely from God for though he be wise himselfe and hath a wise honourable Councel and there are many that watch and care for him besides yet if God did not defend him the diuel by his subtiltie might make his enemie wiser than all of them Therefore as Dauid saith of himselfe Psal 140.7 It was God that did couer his head in the day of battell that is though hee had an helmet and such like defence yet if God had not couered his head all that had been nothing so we must say it is God that hath couered not onely his head but his whole bodie from the strokes of his enemies yea wee must say as Paul saith of himselfe 2 Cor. 1.10 God hath deliuered him from so great a death and doth deliuer him daily in whom wee trust that yet hereafter he will deliuer him Therefore when wee heare of any daunger towards his person or towards the State we must not make small account of it and say Tush I but there are these and these meanes to defend vs the King and his Counsell are wise enough to preuent all but wee must say That good God and merciful father who of his infinit mercie hath defended him and vs hitherto will do so still and pray to him thereafter that it may bee so as this people doth here The name of the God of Iacob defend thee So is it in all sicknesse and namely in this great mortalitie of our time He onely can defend vs from the pestilence 1. Cor. 11.30 wherein many are sicke and many are weake and many fall asleepe none can defend vs in it but onely God and he is able to doe it In the Law God hath threatned great and incurable diseases to the disobedient for it is said The Lord will smite thee in the knees and in the thighes Deut. 28.35 with a sore botch that thou canst not bee hâ—â—led euen â—rom the sole of thy foote vnto the top of thine head And a little after in the same place The Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull Vers 59. and the plagues of thy seed euen great plagues and of long continuance and sore diseases and of long durance I will bring vpon thee all the diseases of Egypt whereof thou wast afraide and they shall cleaue vnto thee and euery sicknes and euery plague which is not written in the booke of this law will the Lord heape vpon thee vntill thou be destroyed And from them that walke in his waies he hath promised to keepe these diseases farre away If thou wilt diligently hearken O Israel vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God Exod. 15.26 and wilt doe that which is right in his sight and wilt giue eare vnto his commaundements and keepe all his ordinances then will I put none of these diseases vpon thee which I brought vpon the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee These threatnings and promises he only is able to verifie and doth who hath said to that end He will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter and from the noysome pestilence Psal 91.3 he will couer thee vnder his wings and thou shalt be sure vnder his fethers his truth shall be thy shield and buckler thou shalt not be afraide of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flieth by day nor of the pestilence that walketh in darknesse nor of the plague that destroyeth at noone day a thousand shall fall at thy side and tenne thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come neere thee There shall none euill come vnto thee neither shall any plague come neere thy tabernacle for he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies they shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone Thus it is the Lord only that keepeth vs from plagues and diseases by the inuisible ministerie of his holie Angels which he vseth for the defence of his seruants and the punishment of the wicked For as when the Lord did send his Angell into the hoste of proud blasphemous Sanecherib he smote in one night an hundreth fourescore and fiue thousand 2. King 19.35 so that when they rose early in the morning behold they were all dead corpses And as in the time of Dauid 2. Sam. 24.15 the Lord by an Angel did destroy with the pestilence seuentie thousand men in three daies So in the middest of all pestilent diseases if the Lord bid his Angell cease punishing as hee did then when hee stretched out his hand vpon Ierusalem to destroy it hee said Vers 16. It is sufficient hold now thine hand or if he will them to keepe vs in the middest of it it shall bee so and then shall that be verified vpon vs Psalm 91.13 which is written Thou shalt walke vpon the lion and aspe the yong lion and the dragon shalt thou tread vnder feete that is his Angels shall preserue vs in the middest of great dangers harmelesse He onely defendeth in these cases therefore let vs trust in him and in him alone As he did recouer Hezekiah froÌ„ death He healed King Hezekiah when he was sicke of a most deadly disease euen when he lay sicke of a pestilent feuer and had a Carbunckle or Plague sore broken out in his body and before that had receiued the sentence of death in himselfe Isai 38.1 For the Prophet had said vnto him Thus saith the Lord put thine house in order for thou shalt dye and not liue that is this sicknesse of thine is deadly in it owne nature Then he turned his face vnto the wal
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
grones which are stirred vp in vs the Lord acknowledgeth and answereth vs according to them Therefore we must hearken to the exhortation of the Apostle and practise that Ephe. 6.18 Pray alwaies with all manner prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication so that what kind of prayer soeuer wee vse as he speaketh of all manner prayer whether long or short with words or without publicke or priuat alone or with others it must alwaies be in the spirit and from the heart and that it might be so he giueth vs counsell to watch thereunto that is to haue an eye to our heart and to set a watch vpon the affections of our mind and suffer them not to bee carried away and this we had need to doe carefully because else they will too soone wander suddenly before we be aware as all of vs doe find it to be true by too great experience Seeing then that prayer is a worke of the heart and of the spirit as we haue heard and not of the lips and of the tongue so much euery one that commeth vnto prayer must especially labour in this one point that he may bring his heart vnto God and not to stand so much vpon words If we haue good desires the want of fit wordes must not hinder vs from prayer And this must be no barre vnto any to keep them from prayer to say I haue no fit words I cannot vtter my mind well I haue a good heart but my speech is naught c. For first of all if we be sufficiently touched with the feeling of our wants we shall haue words inough to vtter the same for all experience sheweth that euery one can complaine well inough to the vnderstanding of men of any thing wherein they are grieued be they neuer so simple as the poorest creature that is that is pinched with hunger and thurst can aske bread and meat and no man need to instruct him what words he should vse in such a case and if any be oppressed they cā sufficiently lay opē their wrongs we see that young children can doe that and almost naturall fooles Then assuredly if we had that inward sight and feeling of our sinnes and of the want of the graces of Gods spirit that we should haue we should haue wordes inough to vtter the same vnto God and to poure out our whole mind vnto him and to say Good Lord giue me this and giue me that Therefore let vs first labour for that and then the other will soone follow that is let vs haue the feeling of our own wants and we shall want no wordes in prayer But say that wee want words indeed it maketh no matter one whit God looketh not to that but to the desire of the heart he heareth that sooner than the other For God looketh to the heart nay without the other Hannah sayd nothing spake not a word with her lips no more did Nehemiah as we heard euen now but they both prayed in the spirit and powred out their soules before the Lord and God heard them Therefore if we could say nothing at all nor speake one word yet if we doe but sigh and grone in our hearts that shall be as acceptable vnto God as all the well ordered words in the world King Hezekiah when hee was sicke vnto death prayed most earnestly vnto God for life and he added fifteene yeares vnto it but how prayed he then and what were his words he speaketh thus of it himselfe Isai 38.14 Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a Doue where he confesseth that if God had respected his wordes his paine and feare then was so great that it was more like the chattering of a Crane and the confused noise of a doue than any thing els yet in his heart he had great desires and God satisfied them Let vs pray for our brethren that are visited with the pestilence that God would giue them their hearts desire and therfore that he would put into their minds good and holy desires and according to those when they shall be so weake euen at the point of death all the powers of the bodie shall faile them that he would deale with them in mercy either for comfort or for deliuerance or for both And so must we labour with our own hearts that not onely they be free from ill desires but that they may not be emptie and barren of good that others may pray for vs Giue them according to their heart and we may haue the fruit of their prayers when our desires shall be good and euen then when we shall not be able to speake a word Giue thee according to thy heart Thus he willeth them to pray for him But what was he he was a king It seemeth that all kings may soone haue their desires and so need not pray to God to fulfill them and a mightie prince therefore if any might haue their hearts desire then he most of all For what can a king desire but he shall haue it if it may be bought for money if it may be gotten by sea or by land if it may be compassed by the wit strength of men They can desire nothing but there are ynow that will procure it for them if they be kings and princes all at their commaund and are glad to please them with their desires in all things what needed he then to be so carefull for this that he might haue according to his hearts desire and that they should pray so earnestly for it was there any need of it was there any feare of it if he had bene a meane man it had bin another matter or one that could not haue holpen himselfe nor had had any to doe for him but all seeke to satisfie the desires of kings if it be with the hazard of their owne liues Dauid had experience of this himselfe who when he was in an hold and the garison of the Philistims was then in Bethlehem he longed said 2. Sam. 23.14 Oh that one would giue me to drinke of the water of the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate Then three mighty men brake into the host of the Philistims and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem and brought it to Dauid who would not drinke thereof but powred it out for an offering before the Lord and sayd O Lord be it farre from me that I should doe this is not this the blood of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues therefore he would not drinke it Thus though he repented him of this rash and foolish desire yet we see how soone he had his desire and how ready his men were to satisfie it euen in a very hard thing and wherein they did hazard their liues for him Hauing then so many worthy Captaines as he had what might not he presume that they would doe for
woman that hath good desires and so farre God will fulfill them Therefore that we might pray in faith vnto God for all our desires we must liue righteously and looke that all our desires be only good For though he doth sometime giue the wicked their vngodly desire and that in many things as we haue seene it in Ahab and Iesabell and might haue seene it in many more yea they haue more than their hearts desire yet it is no blessing at all but a punishment of God vpon them to be giuen vp to their owne lusts to desire euill things and then to haue their desires though I say he dealeth thus often with the wicked yet no man can pray for any such thing in faith neither can he looke for it at Gods hands and if it should come vnto him vnlooked for he cannot take it as a blessing from God VVe are rather to pray that in all our wicked and vngodly desires he would crosse vs and neuer suffer vs to thriue in any of our vnlawfull desires and that shall be a great blessing of his vpon vs to haue our vngodly desires denied vnto vs. But we shall find it to be true by all experience that when we haue liued in the best course and haue had most godly desires then the Lord hath most often and soonest fulfilled them so this must teach vs to liue well and to desire good things of God that he may still fulfill them And the rather that we might beleeue God can hinder men of their greatest desires that God only can and doth fulfill the desire of all men we must consider that he can also and doth many time hinder them from their desires that though they haue had neuer so great a desire to a thing yet they could neuer obtaine it And this is threatned to the vngodly as a punishment from God that they shall not haue their desire He shall gnash with his teeth and consume away Psal 112.10 the desire of the wicked shall perish And all experience doth shew that many times he hath frustrated the desires of the wicked Hester 3.6 2 Sam 17.2 1. King 19.2 Exod. 5.7 8. As the desire that Haman had to root out the Iewes that Achitophell had to ouerthrow Dauid that Iesabel had to take away the life of the Prophet Eliah that Pharao had to oppresse the Israelits with cruell bondage and to keepe them still in his land Act. 12.6 that king Herod had to kill Peter how was he disappointed of his purpose when he thought all was sure for Peter was in prison the night before that he thought to haue brought him out to the people he slept between two souldiors bound with two chaines and the keepers before the dore kept the prison so that it seemed all was sure ynough but God sent an Angell Verse 11. and deliuered him out of the hand of Herod and from all the waiting for of the people of the Iewes and so disappointed them all of their vngodly desires And all the enemies of Dauid that sought to keepe him from his kingdome wherof he complaineth Why did the Heathen rage and the people murmure in vaine c. Psal 2.1 God did laugh them all to scorne and would not suffer them to haue their desire of him but said I haue set my king vpon Sion m ne holy mountaine as if he had said hee shall be king in despight of you all How were all the great and mightie tyrants and cruell persecuting emperours disappointed of their diuellish desires to destroy the poore Christians So that though they were many and their persecutions extream and very long enduring certaine hundred yeares yet therein they so little preuailed that the number of them still encreased whereupon arose that prouerbe That the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church that is the more that they did put to death the more did rise vp in their stead So that the two last cruell persecutors being tyred with the slaughter of the Christians and fretting at this that they could not haue their desires of them in great discontentment gaue vp their empire and led a priuate life VVhat should I speake of the Papists and of their holy league who were not yet able to satisfie their desire against the professors of the Gospell in that wicked practise which began at the bloodie massacre in Fraunce And how were all that crue of Papists disappointed of their wicked desires in the end here in England by the death of Queene Marie And what should I say of some of those bloodie blasphemous persecutors who so greedily desired the death of Gods Saints that they openly threatened that they would see them burnt but themselues by a sudden death of the hand of God were taken away before their blessed martyrdome So that all the wicked be they neuer so many and mightie they cannot haue their desires alwaies but God can hinder them as it pleaseth him that onely must giue to all men their desires Therefore when men threaten that they will haue their wils of men and they will doe so and so 1. King 19.2 Gen. 4 23. as Lamech did saying I will slay a man in my wound and a young man in my hurt that is if any man touch me I will doe so and so vnto him we see that they must first aske God leaue or els they shall neuer haue their desires Nay Dauid hath taught vs to pray in faith against all the vngodly desires of wicked men Let not the wicked haue his desire Psal 140.8 O Lord performe not his wicked thought least they bee too proud Selah The fourteenth Sermon vpon the fourth verse And graunt thee according to thine heart and fulfill all thy purpose THat which should haue beene added the last day concerning the former part of this verse is this That wheras we haue heard alreadie how we ought to shew our faith in this point that we beleeue that God can and doth giue to euery one their hearts desire by praying vnto him beforehand for euery thing that we doe desire Now it remaineth further to consider That if we do beleeue indeed that God only doth giue to all men their desires Wee must praise God for all our desires that haue ben fulfilled and that without him they cannot haue them then we must declare this faith of ours after that we haue our desires by acknowledging that for all things which we haue desired in the whole course of our life and haue had them that we are wholly beholding to the goodnesse of God for them and so praise his holy name for the same For if we desire any thing of a mortall man and he bestow it vpon vs we are bound to confesse so much and to be thankefull vnto him for the same then much more vnto God who mooued the heart of that man towards vs and made him an instrument of his goodnesse vnto vs
whether wee aske life health wealth or any outward thing els we must doe it so farre and to that end that God may be glorified in vs by them as the Prophet doth Be beneficiall to thy seruant Psal 119.17 As Dauid and Hezekiah did that I may liue and keepe thy law where he desireth to liue so as by his godly life hee might glorifie God and hee did esteeme of that as of a great benefit So did Dauid pray when he was banished by Absalom he desireth God to spare him and to continue his life that hee might praise him for in death there was no remembrance of him Psal 30.9 saying What profit is there in my blood when I goe downe to the pit Shall the dust giue thankes to thee or shall it declare thy truth And after the same manner did king Hezekiah when he was sicke vnto death also and had receiued the sentence of it against himselfe by the Prophet Isaiah he prayed That God would not take him away in the middest of his dayes for the glorie and praise of his name and this grieued him most that he should be cut off from partaking of Gods goodnesse and praysing him for it in the land of the liuing Isai 38.11 I said I shall not see the Lord euen the Lord in the land of the liuing and afterwards he addeth Vers 18. The graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee they that goe downe to the pit cannot hope for thy truth but the liuing the liuing he shall confesse thee as I doe this day So wee see to what end he desired life euen that he might haue occasion still to prayse God and the Lord heard these prayers of his and added fifteene yeares to his life Let vs then examine our selues to what end we desire all that we doe whether God may be glorified in vs by them or no if we doe then may we be assured that our prayers are according to Gods will he will heare vs so soone as it shall make for his glory As for example if we desire life principally to this end We must examine our hearts to what end we desire euery thing that we may still prayse God and glorifie his name both in our calling and as we be Christians as Dauid and Hezekiah did and whether we desire children that they might be instruments of Gods glory in this world to serue him in the Church or common wealth as Hannah did and whether we desire wealth and credit that we might be the more fit to do good vnto others and to set forth the prayse of God by our almes and good deeds as Iob Iob. 31.16 Act. 9.36 and Dorcas did and to be short all other gifts of bodie to this end especially as Solomon did aske wisedome for that cause and Queene Hester did put on her royall apparrell Hest. 5.1 and drest vp her selfe well that so in the presence of the king she might find fauour in dealing for the Church of God then may we be bould with great comfort to commend them to God for in them wee seeke not our selues but his glory which is most deare to himself also But for the most part men in all things seeke themselues onely or principally and so haue them not as they desire Therefore if we lacke any thing that we haue desired and prayed for consider whether we did seeke Gods glory in it or our owne benefit if we had respect to our selues then no maruaile if we did want it that we might learne to reforme our desires For though God giueth vnto men that seeke only themselues as he doth to the wicked yea vnto the bruit beasts because he is goodnesse it selfe and would hereby draw all men vnto him yet how much more would he doe it if men did seeke his glory therein For though a master will giue his seruant that which is for his owne profit onely yet he will graunt him that suit especially which shall make for the credit of his master and whereby he may doe him the better seruice most of all when he seeth that he seeketh for it in that respect principally so will the Lord deale with all his faithful seruants much more giue them I say that sometimes wherein they respect themselues onely but most of all that whereby they desire to be furthered in his seruice and to glorifie his name a great deale more That we may reioyce in thy saluation c. As he hath in these words noted what was the end of their desires beforehand so also what should be the fruit of them afterwards and what they would doe for them namely Reioyce in this great benefit bestowed vpon them and prayse his name for it And this should be the fruit of all Gods benefits vpon vs The fruit of all Gods benefits in vs should be the prayse of his name both publike and priuat that as he by them offereth vs occasion of praising him so wee should doe it for them as wee see in the next Psalme this people do according to that that they professe here And truely then doe we rightly profit by all Gods benefits when we giue him that prayse for them that is due vnto him and when we so vse them and speake of them as God the authour of them may be honoured For to this end God giueth all and this is all that we can doe for all To prayse him in heart word and life therefore if we doe not this all is lost vpon vs. And euery one as he receiueth more from God so is he bound to this the more to sing of them to God that is to praise his name for them And to set vp their banners in his name that is to set forth his glory So that the poorest that is is bound vnto it for their life health food and rayment c. other common benefits that they inioy for whē they haue least they haue more than they haue deserued But the rich are bound vnto it a great deale more by how much they goe beyond others in Gods benefits for he did owe them nothing and he might haue made them like others yea and he can so do when he will Daniel 4.30 as he dealt with Nebuchadnezzar whom of a proud king he made a vile beast And this is so proper vnto all the benefits of God that where he speaketh of many of them he beginneth and endeth the Psalme thus My soule prayse thou the Lord. And in another Psal 103. Psal 40 3. speaking of a new benefit that God had bestowed on him he saith Thou hast put a new song of prayse into my mouth shewing what we should doe when God blesseth vs for euery benefit giue him new praises And in another Psalme praying for the forgiuenesse of his sinne he saith Open thou my lips O Lord Psal 51.15 and my mouth shall shew foorth thy prayse as if he had sayd If God shall
that we may so reioyce in all Gods benefits and ordinances so vse them with ioy that he may be praised for them VVhich he also graunt vnto vs for Iesus Christ his sake Amen The seuenteenth Sermon vpon the fifth verse That we may reioyce in thy saluation c. WE must consider who they be that speake thus and of whom they speake it they are the subiects that thus speake of their king and they say that they will reioyce when God shall saue him so they speake not of themselues but of him Such then is and ought to be the vnity of the prince and the people as of the members of the bodie and of the head that they acknowledge the safegard of the king to be sufficient cause of their ioy VVe must then thus pray for the life and honour of our liege lord and Soueraine king The welfare of the king is the peoples â—â—y not as one a loofe off from vs with whom we haue nothing to doe nor he with vs and whose estate doth nothing concerne vs at all but as one in whose life is our preseruation and whose honour is our aduancement in whose decay is our losse and in whose ouerthrow is our vtter ruine Therefore as wee must thinke that we should haue great cause to be sorrie if any thing did befall his royall person otherwise than well so that in his preseruation and prosperitie we haue alwayes cause to reioyce Rom. 13.4 For we know as the Apostle saith that kings and princes are ministers of God for our wealth that is they are called of God vnto those high places not for themselues but for the good of the people therfore in their saluation we must reioyce for it is ioyned with our owne wealth And Saint Paule vnto Timothie sheweth this point more fully 1. Tim. 2.3 when he saith That vnder them we lead a peaceable and quiet life with all honesty and godlinesse This benefit then we get by them when they be good we liue by their good gouernment peaceably honestly and godlily which are three great benefits and without the which our life were no life therefore we must pray for them In this respect they ought to pray for his life that by them we might inioy these great benefits and so reioyce in his preseruation by whose meanes we doe inioy them For if the prince miscarie any waies we are in danger to leese all our wealth yea peace and all honest and godly liuing For if there were no king at all we may easily see in what lamentable estate we should be when as it is sayd in the time of the Iudges Judg. 21.25 In those dayes there was no king in Israel but euery man did that which was good in his eyes Thus would it be with vs and with all people euery man would do that that seemed good in his owne eyes and then what confusion and disorder would there be in the world what peace what godlinesse or what honestie could there be among men And this is not once but three times at the least set downe in that booke in the beginning middest and endding of two notable and famous stories which shew what kind of life was then amongst them euen such as was neither peaceable and quiet nor honest nor godly The one is of the Leuits concubine abused and oppessed euen vnto death the other is of that idolatrie which began in the house of Micah and so did spread it selfe ouer the whole tribe of Dan and of the rest besides that the Leuites and ministers of God were neglected then and not sufficiently prouided for in the narration of which this is often interlaced as a graue sentence shewing the cause of all that disorder In those dayes there was no king or supreame gouernour in Israel and so euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes as if it had beene sayd Surely if they had had any good gouernour among them and namely one chiefe to ouersee and rule the rest these abuses had neuer broken out or if they had they should neuer haue growen to such an head Besides this where there is a continuall succession of kings yet euen in the change of them to death without a speciall grace and blessing of God there is great daunger of chaunge in the state of the people Therefore all people had need to pray for the life health preseruation of their kings that so themselues might reioyce as they doe here And for proofe of this we may easily conceiue how the people of Israel did flourish and abound in all things in the dayes of king Solomon by that which is written of them he was a peaceable prince and so the people had peace and wealth 1. King 4.25 10.27 For euery man did sit quietly vnder his vine and vnder his figge tree and none did raise them vp and in his dayes siluer was as plentifull as the stones in the street and Cedar in as great abundance as the wild figge trees which grow abundantly in the plaine and such almost was our case all the dayes of our renowned and worthie Queene Elizabeth for wee had peace and wealth with the Gospell also in great abundance But when Salomon died For in the death of the prince there is great feare of alteration to the state what great alteration was there in the kingdome of Israel when his sonne Rehoboham refused the auntient counsellors of his father and chose new in their roome like to himselfe whereupon there grew a faction and diuision first among the nobles and then among the rest of the people so that ten parts of his people fell cleane away from him from God too euen to idolatrie and to the golden calues in Dan and Bethel so that there was much warre betweene them and bloodshed among them Now when all this fell out how did they see by experience that they had cause before to pray for the life of Salomon their king as the chiefe and onely cause of their welfare and ioy So we in like manner had great cause in this respect to pray for the life of our Queene as we did to preserue her both against forraine inuasions intended and also secret treasons and practises at home for in her life we had great cause of ioy And in all deliuerances of her from danger which were many and great wee had cause still to reioyce and so in her long life we did enioy the fruit of our prayers for we did so much the more and longer reioyce in her and in all benefits which wee enioyed by her and we had iust cause to feare that in her death we should haue had more cause of sorrow than by the grace and mercie of God we had But now we would be loath to haue any more changes on the sudden and therefore we are to pray earnestly vnto God for this our Soueraigne King Iames by the grace of
pray to him accordingly as Dauid teacheth the people here to doe and to say Now know I that the Lord will helpe his annointed by the mightie power of his right hand And thus wee perceiue what vse wee should make of that which wee read euery where in the Scriptures of the great power of God namely that wee might depend vpon him in all troubles and pray vnto him in faith not doubting but as he doth heare vs so he will helpe vs by his great power But let vs examine our selues I pray you and wee shall see how farre wee are from this great measure of faith that so wee might labour to grow therein for how hardly or not at all do we come to this Few in trouble do rest vpon the power of God so weake is their faith To rest in the inuisible power of God Let a man bee in trouble and come and tell him of the great power of God and how he is able to helpe him and so bid him be of good comfort and pray vnto God and depend vpon him and we shall find that he can be contented to doe so so farre foorth as hee can see how and which way God should helpe him But for a man when he hath no meanes at all or very few to doe himselfe good by then to say as Asa did It is all one with God to helpe with many or with no power and so to pray as earnestly and as confidently as though he had all the meanes in the world as it is said of him that he then cried vnto the Lord his God that is prayed with great feruencie This I say is not to bee found in euery one that boasteth of faith Nay which is a great thing when we shall see more to be against vs than with vs and more meanes to discourage vs from the hope of that that we desire than to giue vs comfort in it then to passe by them all and not to stand reasoning from them against our selues by vnbeleefe and not to say I cannot bee holpen because I haue these and these things against mee but to breake through them all and to giue this glorie to God as Abraham did that he that promised Psal 50.15 That if we call vpon him in the time of our trouble he will heare vs and deliuer vs is able to performe it and so to say as Dauid doth here I know that hee will helpe me by the mightie strength of his right hand is that faith which as it will vphold vs in all troubles so it is to bee found in very few But let vs remember for the helping of vs this way Hebr. 11.1 That faith as the Apostle sayth is of things that are hoped for and not seene and therefore as we beleeue God to be present euery where though we see him not so must we beleeue that God is able to helpe vs though wee cannot see how or which way and so pray to him in all wants and say I know that though I am weake and cannot helpe my selfe yet hee will helpe me by his mightie power and this the more we can doe it in truth though in great weakenesse the more shall wee glorifie God and the more will hee helpe vs. The great power of God in raysing vp them that are sicke Therefore let them know that are visited with sickenesse either of the pestilence or otherwise that if they were brought so low that they were at deaths doore God is able to recouer them and to raise them vp again by his great power as Elihu sayth vnto Iob when hee was so full of sores in his bodie that he desired not life neither had any hope of it sayth he Iob. 33.19 If a man be stricken with sorrow vpon his head and the griefe of his bones is sore so that his life causeth him to abhorre bread and his soule daintie meat his flesh faileth that it cannot be seene and his bones which were not seene clatter so his soule draweth to the graue and his life to the buriers if there be a messenger of God with him an interpreter of his word who is as one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse then will he haue mercie vpon him and say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation then shall his flesh bee as fresh as a childs and shall returne as in the dayes of his youth Thus wee see that if a man bee readie to giue vp the ghost and the bell be rong for him and they begin to prepare things for his buriall if the Lord do but speake the word he shall bee restored to life and health John 11.39 For Christ Iesus who when he was vpon the earth by his word cured men and women of long and incurable diseases yea raised some from the dead euen Lazarus when he had beene dead foure daies and put into the graue who shall also raise vp these bodies of ours out of corruption Phil. 3.21 and fashion them like to his owne glorious bodie according vnto the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe He I say can much more by the same power of his renew our strength when we are in great weaknesse by what meanes it pleaseth him euen by the smallest helpe in the world or without any at all Confirmed by dayly experience As we by dayly experience see some to bee restored to life and health both from the pestilence which is most deadly and from other mortall diseases when in the iudgement of men they were past all hope and the Physitians had giuen them ouer That we might be confirmed by that which we see and heare in the faith of Gods promises towards vs. Iob. 33.28 And this is that which Elihu sayth God will deliuer his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light loe all these things will God worke twice or thrice with a man that he may turne backe his soule from the pit to be illuminate in the light of the liuing VVhere he sayth That God doth not onely thus shew his power now and then in raising vp men from the brinke of death but he sometimes dealeth thus twice or thrice with the same man so that in their life time and euen in sickenesse they haue great experience diuers times of the power of God in their strange recoueries from dangers yea deadly and incurable sicknesses And in relieuing men in their pouertie And to conclude this point in a word if by pouertie or otherwise we be brought to a low ebbe as the patient man Iob was yet ought wee to beleeue that as the Lord turned his captiuitie Chap. 42.10 and gaue him twice so much as he had before so is he able to relieue vs also in our greatest need and to make our estate better than it was before and therefore in such cases let vs pray to him earnestly to helpe by the mightie power of his right hand VVhich that we might doe the rather in faith let vs consider how the Apostle setteth before our eyes the example of Iob to this end and applieth it vnto vs Iam. 5.11 saying Behold we count them blessed which indure yea haue heard of the patience of Iob Which must make vs in all difficultie to depend vpon him and haue knowne what end the Lord made for the Lord is verie pittifull and mercifull As if hee had said God is able to restore you as hee did Iob and to make as good an end with you as he did with him and therefore you ought by this example of Gods dealing with him patiently to wait vpon God considering his mightie power and what great changes he is able to worke in men And thus you see what we haue to obserue out of these wordes where hee speaketh of the power of God and what out of the whole verse God graunt that these things and whatsoeuer else we heare out of his holy word from time to time may so fall into our hearts as seed into good ground that wee keeping the same in good and honest hearts may bring forth the fruit thereof in our liues and conuersations an hundred threescore or thirtie fold at the least to the praise of his blessed name the comfort and saluation of our owne soules the benefit and good example of all that doe know vs and the leauing of the wicked world without excuse that will not follow vs through Iesus Christ our onely Lord and sauiour Amen FINIS
our owne experience and incourage them to cal vpon God with good hope by our own example for we shall be able to say vnto them that wee haue obserued how God hath dealt with vs in the like case of theirs and this shall be no small comfort to them to heare it or to our selues from others to heare at their mouth how God hath dealt with them in former times And so doth Dauid to this end speake to other of his owne experience which he had gotten by marking how God dealt with him after his prayers when he saith This poore man cried and the Lord heard him and saued him out of all his troubles And a little before Psal 34.6 Vers 4. I sought the Lord and he heard me yea he deliuered me out of my feare they shall looke to him and runne to him and their faces shall not be ashamed saying This poore man cried and the Lord heard him We see how confidently hee speaketh vnto others and assureth them that if they pray to God he will heare them for hee had well marked how the Lord had so dealt with him before Let vs then in all things wherein we haue prayed vnto God so marke his dealing towards vs that we may see how he hath turned our burnt offrings into ashes that is how he hath declared vnto vs that he hath heard our prayers that so we may reioyce in Gods benefits the more and hee may bee praised for them and our selues and others be confirmed in hope by experience through them Turne thy burnt offrings into ashes Lastly concerning these words wheras in them he teacheth generally to pray We must not limit the hearing of our prayers to any one particular thing that God would shew that he had heard his prayers and doth not limit it to any particular thing as to say shew it by doing so and so but that concerning the things that be prayed for hee desireth that hee would shew which way it pleaseth him that hee had heard them and that hee and they might as euidently see it as those did who had their sacrifices consumed with fire from heauen It teacheth vs that in al outward things especially we should not tye the fauour of God and the hearing of our prayers to any one speciall thing as to say If God would giue me such a thing that I haue prayed for or deale so and so with me I would beleeue that he had heard my prayers but vntill I haue that I cannot be perswaded of it For in all things we ought to pray that God would giue vs such and such things so farre foorth as it is his holy will as he knoweth it to be good for vs and for his glorie and with these conditions also must wee pray for others So then if the Lord see it not expedient for vs and so doe not giue it vs at all or when we would haue it or in that manner that wee would yet wee must desire this that hee would some way shew that he hath heard our prayers by giuing vs minds readie to submit our wils vnto his patience to beare things and that hee would giue vs some thing els for recompence or supplie of it and that hee would turne all to our good and that we might also see it to be so and this must be sufficient for all Rom. 8.26 For we many times know not what to pray as wee ought but the spirit of God in vs maketh request then for vs vnto God with sighes and groanes which cannot be expressed and the Lord who is the searcher of the hearts For God will giue not according to that that we name but that his spirit in vs meaneth knoweth what is the meaning of the Spirit for it maketh request for the Saints according to that that they asked or named which in temptation thēselues knew not well but according to the meaning of the spirit in them For euen as those that are sicke of some hot pestilent burning feuer or some other disease that distempereth their braine when they aske any thing those that attend vpon them will not giue them that which they haue named but some other thing in steed of it which is better for them in that case and in so doing they giue them according to their meaning for they did meane that that was best for them though they erred then through distemperature or ignorance in the particular and so when they are well and can iudge of things themselues will confesse So doth the Lord deale with his seruants so must we be contēted to be ordred by the Lord that whatsoeuer we aske he would giue vs that which hee knoweth to bee best for vs and so giue vs according to the meaning of his spirit in vs that so wee may see that hee hath heard our prayers 2. Cor. 12.8 Saint Paul prayed three times that the messenger of Satan which buffeted him might depart away from him and the Lord heard his prayers but how he gaue him this answere My grace is sufficient for thee Vers 9. for my power is made perfect through weakenes So that when in all temptations of the diuell hee held out in a good course and God did vpholde him in his weakenes As he did to the Apostle Paul that he was not ouerthrowne though the messenger of Satan did not depart from him according to that which he had named in his praiers yet he saw wel enough that God had heard his prayers by giuing him strength against him This is worthy to be diligently obserued because we are giuen wholy to tie the hearing of our prayers vnto the receiuing of that particular we aske and cannot for the most part otherwise discerne of it as for example if we aske health and wealth and God giue them then will we beleeue that he hath heard our prayers and otherwise not whereas the Lord may no lesse shew that he hath heard our prayers and deny vs both of them when hee shall giue vs minds contented with our estate and to waite vpon his blessed will in all our wants We haue now a long time prayed vnto God for this sicknes and mortalitie and wee desire to see that God hath heard our prayers and so we may also though it be not lessened but increased yea though it should come among vs and bee vpon our owne bodies So will he doe in this visitation of the Plague For in that he hath not begun with vs at the first according to our deserts nor is come vnto vs with this visitation as yet but sheweth himselfe slowe to anger and vseth great patience towards vs yea that hee daily warneth vs by the harmes of others and not maketh vs a spectacle vnto others therein hee hath sufficiently shewed that hee hath heard our praiers And now further if he should come and deale with vs in our owne bodies and then with all should giue vs grace to