among you may delight in you and be exalted by you that you may indeed become the people of his Holiness and the people of his Prayer seek to be made partakers of his holiness and follow after holiness and so follow after that ye may obtain Let there be such a heart in you and such an holy design heartily taken up and zealously pursued by you and the Lord will certainly accept you and answer your prayers and your profane enemies will then learn to take heed how they again mock or boast themselves against the prayers of the Saints It was reported of a great Church-man that when several Ministers were turn'd out of their places for non-conformity he said in disdain Wee 'l turn them out and let them see if they can pray them in again Once lift up holy hands to the Lord and God will give such Answer that they will take heed of boasting again against prayer And if yet they should take unto them the hardiness to say where is your God Doubt not but in a little time you shall have this song put into your mouths Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation But if it must suffice you to pray and you will still go on to traverse your old ways suffering your sins and the world to hold the head of you let not such men think they shall receive any thing of the Lord. Wherefore once again be exhorted to come to a point in this matter and determine what ye will do If yet will not heartily come in in this necessary design of advancing in holiness you may even stand aside and sit out from that of Prayer for any good we can expect from you But if you are resolved on the former and that with all imaginable seriousness you will the more prosper in the latter let both go together in one and thenceforth look for good speed in either Well shall this Decree immediately go forth Say the word once but let it be with an unalterable resolution at least be advised to this which I pray forget not from the day of your next solemn appearing before God in this duty of Prayer for the publick let your Decree be dated and if need be let the very day be written down and so go and let it be heedfully prosecuted and upon each return of this solemn service let it be actually and expresly renewed O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their heart unto thee FINIS Books Printed and Sold by Tho. Cockerill at the Three-Legs over against rhe Stocks-Market THE Morning-Exercise at Cripplegate of several Cases of âonscience practically resolved by ââdry Ministers in Quarto A Supplement to the Morning-âxercise at Cripplegate or several âore Cases of Conscience practicalâââ resolved by sundry Ministers ãâã 4to Speculum Theologie in Christo ãâã a View of some Divine Truths âhich are either practically exââplified in Jesus Christ set forth ãâã the Gospel or may be reasonably deduced from thence ãâã Edward Polhil of Burwash in Susseââ Esq 4to Precious Faith considered in nature working and growth ãâã Edward Polhil Esq c. 4to Christus in Corde Or the Mysâcal Union between Christ and Belââvers considered in its Resemblanceâ Bonds Seals Privildges and Marks by Edward Polhil Esq 8vo The Faithfulness of God coââdered and cleared in the grââ events of its works or a secoââ part of fulfilling the Scripture ãâã the same Author in 8vo De Causa Dei Or a Vindiââtion of the Common Doctrine ãâã the Protestant Divines concerââing Predetermination i. e. ãâã Interest of God as the first Cauââ in all Actions as such of all ââtional Creatures from the Inââdious consequences with which ãâã burthen'd by Mr. John Hoââ in a late Letter of Postcrââ Gods Prescience in 8vo A Dialogue between a Romish âriest and an English Protestant âherein the Principal Points and ârguments of both Religions are âruly Proposed and fully Examined ãâã Matthew Pool Author of Synopsis âriticorum in 12s The Spiritual Remembrancer ãâã a brief Discourse of those who ââtend upon Preaching the Gospel ãâã Samuel Wells in 8vo God a Christians Choice comââated by particular Covenanting ââth God wherein the Lawfulââss and Expediency is clared ãâã Samuel Winney in 12s The Court of the Gentiles in ãâã parts by Theophilus Gale 4to Poese âs Grecae Medulla in qua ââtinenter Insigniores Poetarum ââaecorum gnome versus Proverbiââs Epigrammata quaedam seââa in memoriae subsidium Alââbeticae disposita cum reisione latina in usum Scholarum per Johannem Langston 8vo Poems in two parts first an Interlocutory Discourse concerning the Creation Fall and Recovery of Man Secondly A Dialogue between Faith and a Doubting Soul by Samuel Slater in 8vo Mr. West's Legacy being a Discourse of the Perfect Man in 12s â Geography Rectified or a Description of the World in all its Kingdoms Provinces Cities Towns Seas Rivers Bays Capes Ports Their Ancient and Present Names Inhabitants Scituations Histories Customs Governments c. As also their Commodities Coins Weights and Measures compared with those of London Illustrated with above Sixty new Maps The whole work performed according to the more accurate discoveries of modern Authors in 4to A Renuncitation of several Popish Doctrines because Contrary to the Doctrine of faith of the Church of England by R. R. B. D. in 8vo
your holy design Now is a time wherein you have your hearts at the advantage having such weighty arguments before you and the opportunity ãâã doing two such great things more as the saving of your selves and also of the people both from iniquity and calamity Direct 3. Do all you do in pursuance hereof in the Name of the Lord Jesus Be not discouraged at any prospect of difficulty trust in him for his help Encourage your hearts with the words of the Apostle Phil. 4. 13. I shall be able to do all things through Christ that strengthens me Direct 4. Keep your eye and your heart much upon God and the other world Be able to say with the Apostle Phil. 3. 20. Our Conversation is in heaven that is there the business of our life lies and that not only above spiritual and heavenly things but with God himself Live at the fountain and spring-head thence all your light and ãâã and holiness and strength must flow down Be much in looking upwards and beholding in a glass the glory of the Lord you will be changed from glory to glory into the same Image 2 Cor. 3. 18. Look much and often upon the things that are not seen if ye would be delivered from the power and malign influence of the things that are seen let your eye be upon the Sun and you will see a dimness and darkness upon the earth get you cloathed with the Sun and you will get the Moon under you feet Direct 5. See that there be no allowed sin in your heart or practice Psal 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in mine heart God will not hear my prayer nor help me An allowed sin is as the dâââ flesh in the wound whatever methods or medicines be taken there will be no healing till the dead flesh be eaten off you may profess and pray and hear all your life long and yet will never prosper whilest you are privy to any one indulged sin Direct 6. Be constant and instant in dayly secret and family Prayer Let not extraordinary Prayer excuse your ordinary and let not your neglect of ordinary Prayer unfit you for extraordinary Let not your way to your Closet be untrod He that holds his acquaintance in Heaven by being often with God will be the most like to prevail with God in the most pressing and difficult cases those that are much in Prayer those are the men that use to be mighty in Prayer Direct 7. In all your praying both ordinrry and extraordinary let your eye be I say not chiefly but firstly upon the case of your own Souls What improvement you obtain here will be of this double advantage 1. There will be the more hope of your ââing heard for the publick 2. If ââe Lord be not prevail'd with for ââblick mercies and deliverances âât you will be the better prepar'd ââr sufferings If God should shew âercy as to the publick should scatââr our clouds and blow over our ââorms should cause our light to âreak forth as the morning and our ââghteousness also as the noon-day ãâã what would all this be to thee ââho art unrighteous What would â be to thee if in all the Land of ââoshen there should be light and ââou in the midst thereof shouldest ãâã covered over with the darkness ãâã Egypt if there should be dew ãâã all the grass of the field and thy ââece only should be dry if thou ââouldest live to see thy people a faââd people and an holy and fruitful ââation and thou should'st stand as a âithered and dry Tree amongst all ââe flourishing Cedars Get up ââine own heart into good proof ãâã whatever spiritual plenty thou maist see in Israel yet thou wilt ãâã eat thereof Talk no more of thiââ hopes of seeing good days how ââtle would that be to thee unlâââ thou get thee a better heart Direct 8. Let your Prayers followed with a constant care of yâââ wayes Let not your prayâââ serve you instead of repenting aââ reforming but let it quicken you ãâã your whole duty let your entriââ into your Closet be your ascendiââ heavenwards and let not your ãâã turns thence be the falling down ãâã your Souls from Heaven to Earââ Let your duties and ways be all oâ piece live like praying Christiaâ Let not the spirituality of yoâ mornings and evenings countenaââ or encourage you in your all-dââ carnality Be in the fear of the Loââ all the day long Prov. 23. 17. Direct 9. Whatever incomes ãâã receeive from God into your own Souââ âe free in dispersing to others I mean in a way of holy discourse and conference Dispersing and communicaâing is the best way to thriving Pro. 11. 24. There is that scattereth and âet increaseth there is that withholdeth and it tendeth to poverty 'T is true with respect to spirituals as well as to temporals There are none that grow more rich towards God than those who by bringing forth what they have received labour to make others rich also Give the holy fire within you a vent and it will burn the clearer Keep not âour Religion to your selves let your full cup run over let your lips drop as the honey-comb let your mouth be a well of life and your âips feed many Prov. 10. 11. Build up one another in the most Holy Faith provoke one another to love and to good works let your Famiâies your Wives and Children your Neighbours and Acquaintance have âight from your Candle and be warmed by your Fire Doubtleââ it s one special part of Gods quarrââ with Christians That they are ââ very many of them of such carnââ and unsavoury converses Is it thy case hast thou this to charge upoâ thy self O! amend amend anâ see that thou continue not such â barren Soul as low as 't is with thâ in grace think not to rise high unless thou wilt make better use ãâã what thou hast 2. Particular Directions Direct 1. Consider what it is wher to you have already attained and bâ thankful and thence be encourageâ to press on and hope for more Haâ thou obtained Grace from the Lord and hath he caused his Grace to abound towards thee and in thee ãâã and hast thou a witness within theâ that thou hast not received thâ Grace of God in vain But doââ thou study to walk worthy of thaâ Grace wherein thou standest O rejoyce in the Lord and let all within thee bless his Holy Name and take what thou hast thus received as an earnest of more Set thy foot upon the neck of every mortified lust take the more heart to thee to go on in the fight and rejoyce in hope of a total and final victory The Soldier when one Wing of his Enemies Army is routed or they do but give ground and begin to fall this raises his courage and he falls more smartly on Go thou and do likewise and let thy beginning much more thy growth in Grace and thy experiences hereof be the âoiling of thy wheels for
ââce intollerably proud or froââard or earthly or a jolly and ââainly merry soul what ground ââast thou gotten of those very corâuptions under which thou most ââgroanedst How is it with thee with âespect to temptation Dost thou âear and fly from temptation and âo what thou canst to keep thy self out of harms way and when thâ fallest into temptation when thââ art actually tempted to Pride ãâã Covetousness when thou art prâvoked to passion or impatience hoââ goes it with thee then how stanâest thou in the day of temptationââ How is it with thee in regard ãâã thy wonted evils in thy converââtion Hast thou sounded a retreaââ from thy eager chase after the greaââ things of the world Thou haââ been a zealot for increasing thinââ eartâly Substance art thou now become more moderate Thou wertâ once a slothful lazy soul in the matters of God art thou now more diligent and industrious art thou ãâã servent in spirit serving the Lord ãâã Thou once livedst a jolly frothy and merry life dost thou now carry it with more seriousness Hast thou left thy lying and deceitful dealing Thou hast been a self-seeker and a flesh pleaser but canst say through the Grace of God I have now betaken my self to a self-denying life ââd doest thou deny thy self in those ââry things wherein thou wert us'd ââst to seek thy self Put thy self ââon a close and severe trial here ââd know that if the strong hold ãâã not battered and broken if thine ãâã lusts do still hold their power in ââee if the old sore be still issuing ãâã the old stream be still running ãâã course if thou canst not say I ââave kept me from mine iniquity ãâã at least am fighting more resolââedly against it if thou still stickest where thou wert wont to stick whatsoever flush thou seemest to have of good affections whatsoever confidence thou hast of thy good condition 't is a sure sign it is not so well with thee Look to what degree of success thou hast attained in those things wherein thy great difficulty lay to such a degree of soul-prosperity thou hast attained and no more Direct 5. Measure your hopes of the answer of your Prayers for the publick by your experience of their speeding in your own particular cases If thy sin can stand before all thy prayers thine enemies and fears and dangers are not like to fall ever the sooner for such praying what God may do upon the prayers of others thou knowest not but nothing is like to go the better for thee If thou hast run with the foot-men within thee and these have been too hard for thee how wilt thou contend with them that ride upon horses If thon canst not stop the muddy streams of thine own cistern how wilt thou stand before the swelling of Jordan If thy prayers prevail so little to the setting thine own heart or thine own house in order how canst think they will do any thing against the hosts of the uncircumcised God heareth not sinners not only such sinners as are in a state of sin and totally alienated from the life of God but even such also who though for the main they have been once washed in the blood of Christ are again fallen into and wallowing in the mud and mire of any one allowed sin they are all like to be but miserable comforters in the day of distress Remember that Scripture mentioned before Psal 66. 18. If I regard iniquity iu my heart God will not hear my prayer But on the other side if thou dost obtain if thou dost prevail in thine own personal case this hath good hope in it 'T is an argument that thy prayers are accepted with God and if the Lord accept thee when thou prayest for thy self or for thine house thence the greater hope will spring that he will accept thee when thou prayest for his own house and people And if he doth accept thee for them he will either deliver them out of their distress and thou shalt have the honour to be one of those for whose sake deliverance comes or if he should not grant thy request as to the publick yet he will not fail to give thee thine own soul for a prey though he do not give thee the lives of them that sail with thee in the Ship And now you see the best way that is open to you to help at a pinch to save the poor distressed Churches of God in this time of their need such praying as may have its fruit unto holiness in your selves by this you may do much to promote the holiness and happiness of the people if any thing this will do it Wherefore gird up your loyns and set in in good earnest upon this seasonable and mighty duty Go into your closets lift up your hearts draw forth your souls pour out your tears weep in your prayer weep over you own and the peoples sins and fears and bow your selves with your might before the Lord this once try what you can do try the strength of prayer Pray all to rights within you and at home and then seek and cry and wrestle and trust and wait for the Salvation of God to be revealed in due time upon his people Let us at length hear the conclusion of the whole matter what shall be the fruit of all this what will you now do If I should only ask Who among you will join in and pray pray for the peace of Jerusalem the Church of the living God every one would readily answer I will be for one I for another God forbid I should hold my peace I will pray for the peace of Jerusalem Let them prosper that love thee Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces For my brethren and companions sake I will pray Peace be within thee because of the House of the Lord our God I will seek thy good If it be asked further and who will pray for the destruction of Babylon O every one of us that have an heart for the peace of Jerusalem Down with it down with it even to the ground Remember O Lord the Children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem who said Raze it raze it even to the very foundation O Daughter of Babylon that art to be destroyed happy let him be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us But would you that your prayers should be heard Then arise out of your places and fall every man upon a personal Reformation Down with your sin and out with the world list up Christ in your own hearts is you would have Antichrist âall in the earth let Christ have a name within you above every name and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity from his own iniquity feek not for corn and for wine or for freedom to sit down every man under his own Vine and under his own fig-tree where none shall make them afraid but seek the Lord that the Lord God may dwell