and bind on thy sandals and so he did and he saith unto him Cast thy garment about thee and follow me And he went out and followed him By Prayer the 3 Children Dan. 3.16 17 18 19 21 24. Shadrach Meshack and Abednego being cast bound into the midst of the fiery furnace were by God preserved and delivered from the flames of fire Shadrach Meshack and Abednego answered and said to the King O Nebuchadnezzar we are not carefull to answer thee in this matter If it be so Be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the golden Image thou hast set up Then was Nebuchadnezzar ful of fury therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace one 7 times more that it was wont to be heat Then these men were bound in their coats their hosen and their hats and their other garments were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace Then the King was astonied and rose up in hast and spake and said unto his Counsellors Did not we cast 3 men bound into the midst of the fire they answered said to him True O King He answered and said Lo I see 4 men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the 4th is like the Son of God And the Princes governors and captains and the Kings Counsellors being gathered together saw these men upon whom the fire had no power nor was an hair of their head singed neither were their coats changed nor the smell of fire had passed on them When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee Isa 43 2 3 and 11. I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour All these were deliver'd by the powerfulness of prayer prevailing with God By Prayer Jacob the night before he did meet with his brother Esau wrestled with the Angel by his earnestness and importunity of his prayer he at the last therby so far prevailed with him as that he obtained a blessing from him and his Brother Esau was appeased towards him which made him greatly to rejoyce And Iacob was left alone Gen. 32.24 to 28. and there wrestled a man with him untill the breaking of the day and he said let me go for the day breaketh he said I wil not let thee go except thou bless me And he said unto him What is thy name and he said Jacob. And he said Thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with man and hast prevailed And Esau ran to meet him and embraced him Gen. 33.4 10. and fell on his neck and kissed him and they wept And Iacob said I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God and thou wast pleased with me He took his Brother by the heel in the wombe Hos 12.3 4 5. and by his strength he had power with God Yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him he found him in Bethel and there he spoke with us Even the Lord God of Hosts the Lord is his memorial By Prayer Moses for the children of Israel prevailed against Amalek and overehrew him And Moses said unto Joshua Exod. 17.9 10 11. chuse us out men and go out and fight with Amalek to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand So Joshua did as Moses had said unto him and fought with Aamalek and Moses Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the Hill And it came to pass when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed and when he let it down Amalek prevailed Ioshua obtained from the Lord that the Sun and Moon should stand still in the firmament Iosh 10.8 10 12 13 14. whiles that he avenged himself on his enemies the Amorites And the Lord said unto Joshua Fear them not for I have delivered them into thine hand And the Lord discomfited them before Israel Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel and he said in the sight of Israel Sun stand still upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the Valley of Aialon And the sun stood still and the Moon stayed untill the People had avenged themselves So the sun stood still in the midst of Heaven and hasted not to go down about a whole day And there was no day like that before it or after it that the Lord hearkned unto the voice of a man for the Lord fought for Israel By Prayer Elijah brought down fire from Heaven which consumed the burnt-Sacrifice to the convincing of Baals Prophets Hear me O Lord Kings 18.17.38 39. Elijahs Prayer hear me that this people may know that thou art the Lord God and that thou hast turned their heart back again Then the fire of the Lord fell consumed the burnt sacrifice the wood and the stones the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench And when all the people saw it they fell on their faces and they said The Lord he is God the Lord he is God By Prayer Elijah brought down fire twice from Heaven and consumed the 2 Captains with their several fifties comming unto him with a message from Ahaziah King of Samaria Then the King sent unto him a Captain of fifty 2 Kings 1.9 11 12. with his fifty and he went up to him and behold he sate upon the top of an hill and he spoke unto him Thou man of God the King hath said come down And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty If I be a man of God then let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty and there came down fire from heaven and consumed him and his fifty Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty and he answered and said unto him O man of God thus hath the king said come down quickly And Elijah answered and said unto them If I be a man of God let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty and the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty By prayer 1 Kin. 17.21 22. Elijah raised the widows son from death to life again And he cried unto the Lord and said I pray thee let this childs soul come into him again And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah and the soul of the child came into him again and he revived By prayer Elisha caused the waters of Jordan to be divided smiting of them with the mantle which fell from
up in us a certain knowledge of our election but also to stirr up in us a Christian and a godly strife and so to strive to make this our calling and election sure Remembring without ceasing 1 Thess 1.3 4. your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our father Knowing brethren beloved your election of God Wherefore the rather 2 Pet. 1.10 brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly 2 Pet. 1.11 into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Neither must we be carelesse in this great weighty matter of our election to salvation as to say as some very prophanely use to say what need I be so mindfull and carefull hereof If I am elected I am elected if otherwise it be appointed of God all my study and endeavour cannot effect it Such prophane resolutions must be ever withstood by us beaten down and suppressed for we must be ever very active herein and know thus much as a Father well observeth being this namely Quod Deus qui elegit te ad salvationem elegit te etiam ad media salvationis That God which hath chosen and elected thee unto salvation hath also elected and chosen thee to use the means to come unto salvation And as another Father saith St. Augustin Qui creavit te sine te non salvabit te sine te He which hath created thee without thee will not save thee without thee St. Augustin Work out your own salvation Philip. 2.12 13. with fear and trembling For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure For God hath not called us unto uncleannesse but unto holinesse 1 Thess 4.7 Wherefore 1 Pet. 1.13 14 15 16. gird up the loyns of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Iesus Christ As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy For I am the Lord your God Levit. 11.44 ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves and ye shall be holy for I am holy And the Lord spake unto Moses Levit. 19.1 2. saying Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel and say unto them Ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy But ye are a chosen generation 1 Pet. 2.9 a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light Which in time past were not a people 1 Pet. 2.10 but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy As touching the election Rom. 11.28 29. they are beloved for the fathers sake For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Who hath saved us 2 Tim. 1.9 10. and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began But now is made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal 2 Tim. 2.18 The Lord knoweth them that are his and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity But this one thing I do Philip. 3.13 14 15. forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I presse toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded Put on therefore Collos 3.12 13 14 15. as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long-suffering Forbearing one another and forgiving one another And above all things put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankfull God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise 1 Cor. 1.27 29 30 31. and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty That no flesh should glory in his presence But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption That according as it is written He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Thus saith the Lord Jer. 9.23 24. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome neither let the mighty man glory in his might nor let the rich man glory in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindnesse judgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. But some one may happily say How shall I come to have a knowledge of this my election unto salvation To such a one it may be thus answered Notes of our Election Observe with thy self whether thou feelest and findest in thy self the effectuall notes and signes of thy election unto salvation working in thee or not as namely First What powerfull effect the word of God which we have so often heard preached unto us by way of reformation change and alteration hath wrought in us Secondly How we find and feel our selves to decline from sin and sinfull courses and whether we find in our selves a hatred of sin a strife and an endeavour in our selves to shun and avoid the same and all occasions which may any wayes draw us thereinto Thirdly How we find our selves to stand affected to vertue vertuous actions and goodnesse and whether we find in our selves a delight therein whether there be such a progresse in us in the way of godlinesse as S. Peter maketh mention of According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godlineffe 2 Pet. 1.3 4 5 6 7 8 9. through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust And besides this giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge And to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse And to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to
the law of the Lord is with us Lo certainly in vain made he it the pen of the Scribes is in vain The wise men are ashamed they are dismayed and taken so they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdome is in them But unto the wicked God saith Psalm 50. ver 16.17 what hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Jesus answered and said unto them Matthew cha 22. vers 29. Ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God And Jesus answering Mark chap. 12. ver 24. said unto them Do ye not therefore erre because ye know not the scriptures neither the power of God Search the scriptures John chap. 5. ver 39. for in them ye think ye have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea Acts chap. 17. ver 10.11 who coming thither went into the Synagogue of the Jews These were more noble than those of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readinesse of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Till I come 1 Timothy ch 4. ver 13. Revelâ—tion ch 3. ver 3. give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophesie and keep those things which are written therein The secret things belong unto the Lord our God Deuteronrmy ch 29. ver 29. but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this law Secondly as we are thus to read and hear the Word of God A preparatory Prayer ought to be used before our Reading and hearing of the Word of God and also to meditate thereon so we are likewise to fit and prepare our selves before hand for the due performance of these so religious duties And this preparation ought to be by our earnest and hearty prayer unto God that he would be graciously pleased to Blesse us in our reading in our hearing of his sacred Word and in our meditations thereon That he would be pleased to open the eyes of our understandings to blesse our memories to sanctifie our affections and so to season us throughout with the lively grace of his holy Spirit inwardly working in us that so thereby we may be the better enabled to turn all our reading hearing meditations and remembrance into a due and carefull practice thereof in the whole course of our lives and conversations And we are likewise to take heed what we hear and how we hear If we desire to profit by Reading of the Word of God Rules by St. Augustin to be observed in Reading the Scriptures we must then duely and carefully observe these few directions given us for that purpose by S. Auguâ—â—ine as namely First we must Read the same with all reverence Secondly we must read the same with all humility Thirdly we must read the same with earnest prayer unto God for his blessing on our labours therein Fourthly we must read the same and so read it as that we make particular application of that which we read unto our selves for direction of our lives For as S. St. Augustine Augustine well observeth Beatus quis beatus est ille homo qui sic legit sacras scripturas ut verba vertat in opera Who is happy even he is a happy man that doth so read the holy scriptures that he may turn all his words into works Again Directions preparatory for our better hearing of the word of God preached if we desire to profit by hearing of the Word of God preached unto us we must then with all care and diligence observe these few following directions as namely First we must hear the same with a holy attention to the word of God Secondly we must look diligently to our hearts that they wander not Thirdly we must come having a resolved obedience to the powerfull word of God Fourthly we must be carefull of our eyes that they wander not that they be neither wanton dull or sluggish Fifthly we must not be asleep in our sinnes as Ionah was in the ship we must not think our selves to be in security Sixthly we must joyn faith to the word heard and believe it And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures 2 Timothy chap. 3. ver 15.16.17 which are able to make thee wise unto falvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Seventhly we must subscribe unto the truth of the word of God Eighthly we must yield a reverent obedience and submission unto the word of God Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ 2 Corinthians chap. 3. ver 3. ministred by us written not with inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart Ninthly we must not come with any prejudicate opinion of the minister we are to hear And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat 1 Kings chap. 22. ver 8. There is yet one man Micaiah the son of Imiah by whom we may enquire of the Lord but I hate him for he doth not prophesie good concerning me but evil And Iehoshaphat said Let not the king say so Now while Paul waited for them at Athens Acts chap. 17. ver 16.17.18 his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the City wholly given to idolatry Therefore disputed he in the Synagogue with the Jews and with the devout persons and in the market daily with them that met with him Then certain of the Philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoicks encountred him and some said What will this babler say other some He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods because he preached unto them Jesus and the Resurrection Tenthly we must draw near and make haste to come and hear the word of God preached unto us we must come willingly thereunto because that God hath commanded and enjoyned us so to do and God hath promised to blesse us in our speaking and in our hearing The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned Isaiah cha 50. ver 4.5 that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary He wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth mine eare to hear as the learned The Lord God hath opened mine eare and I was not rebellious neither turned away back The hearing ear Proverbs chap. 20. ver 12. and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them Behold their eare is
uncircumcised Jeremiah chap. 6. ver 10. and they cannot hearken It is well observed by one That First It is God and he alone that fitteth and prepareth the eares of all to hear aright his word preached unto them He openeth the eares of men Job chap. 33. ver 16. and sealeth their instructions Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire Psalm 40. ver 6. mine eares hast thou opened Secondly It is God and he alone that openeth the heart as he did the heart of Lydia and doth as it were dig delve and prepare the same to receive the word preached as seed sown in good ground that so it may take deep root downwards and bring forth good fruit upwards for the amendment of our lives and salvation of our souls And a certain woman named Lydia Acts chap. 16. ver 14. a seller of purple of the City of Thyatyra which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul But that Luke chap 8. ver 15. on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience Thirdly It is God and he alone that doth blesse our memories with a retentive faculty to keep and retain the word which we hear preached unto us Fourthly It is God and he alone that enlightens and illuminates our understandings and sanctifieth our affections by the powerfull operation of his holy Spirit in us thereby enabling us to put in practice in our lives and conversations that which we have heard preached unto us And all this thus wrought in us for the comfort and salvation of our soules in and through Christ Jesus our blessed Lord and Saviour We must likewise take heed what we hear and how we hear Thirdly The powerfulnesse of Gods word and the benefits we have thereby We are both in our reading and hearing of the word of God and in our meditations thereon to take into our serious consideration the powerfulnesse of the word of God and the great and unspeakable benefits we receive thereby divers wayes manifested unto us by these ensueing places of Scripture In sacra scriptura quicquid docetur Hugo libro 3. de anima veritas quicquid praecipitur bonitas quicquid promittitnr faelicitas est Nam Deus veritas est sine fallacia bonitas sine malitia faelicitas sine miseria ut Hugo libro 3. de anima In the holy Scripture Hugo whatsoever is taught is truth whatsoever is commanded is goodnesse and whatsoever is promised is happinesse For God is truth without falshood goodnesse without malice and happinesse without misery as Hugo well observeth in his third book of the soul Sacra Scriptura S. Gregory in moral tanto plus diligitur quanto amplius meditatur ut inquit St. Gregory in moral The holy Scripture is so much the more loved of us by how much the more we do meditate therein S. Gregory as St. Gregory observeth Doctrina scripturae perfecta est Piscator fol. 22. cap. 14. omnia scilicet tradens qua ad verum Dei cultum ad aeternam nostram salutem sunt necessaria ut Piscator fol. 22. cap. 14. The doctrine of the scripture is perfect Piscator that is to say shewing unto us all things necessary both to the due worship of God and our own eternall salvation Finis seu scopus Dei in scriptura Piscator fol. 22. cap. 13. est crudire populum suum de recto cultu sui vera hominis faelicitate perfecta est tradens omnia quae sunt ad istum scopum assequendū necessaria ut Piscat fol. 22. cap. 13. The end and purpose of God in the scriptures is to instruct his people and children in the true Piscator and right worship of him as also in the happinesse of man and the same is likewise perfect teaching us all things which are necessary to the attaining unto of that end Doctrina scripturae certo vera est Piscator quippe ab instinctu Spiritus sancti profectus erroneum igitur necesse est quicquid cum eo pugnat ut Piscator fol. 22. cap. 18. The doctrine of the Scripture is certainly true because it proceedeth from the instinct and inspiration of the holy Spirit of God and therefore it falleth out that whatsoever is repugnant thereunto must needs be erroneous A good encouragement for all to read the scriptures An excouragement to read the Scriptures In scripturis abundat quod robustus comedat quod parvulus sugat In the scriptures there is such abundance Fulgentius as that strong men may there find meat to eat and the weak young suckling may there also find fitting food for him to suck on as Fulgentius observeth Divinus sermo sicut mysteriis prudentes exercet sic plerunque superficie simplices refovet Habet in publice unde parvulos nutriat servat in secreto Gregory Epist ad Leande unde mentes sublimium admiratione suspendat ut Gregory Epist ad Leandr The word of God as in mysteries doth exercise the wise so in a superficiall way of knowledge it doth comfort and refresh the weak and simple It hath in common whereby it may nourish the young ones and it keeps in secret that whereby it may hold in suspence with admiration the mindes of the sublimate and learned as Gregory observeth in his epistle to Leander And again as the same Authour observeth Gregory Epist ad Leande It is a deep and yet a shallow foord Ubi agnus ambulat ubi clephas natat where the Lambe may wade and where the greatest Elephant may swimme Or where the weakest in knowledge and understanding may find much comfort and where the greatest and most profound scholar may find matter enough to work upon For since I spake Jeremiah cha 20. ver 8.9 I cried out I cried violence and spoil because the word of the Lord was made a reproch unto me and a derision daily Then I said I will not make mention of him any more nor speak any more in his name But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay Is not my word like as fire Jeremiah cha 23. ver 29. saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Hear the word of the Lord Isaiah cha 66. ver 2.5 ye that tremble at his word My word shall not return unto me void Isaiah cha 55. ver 11. but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it The word of God called a sword Revelation chap. 19. ver 21. which sword proceeded out of his
mouth The word of God is quick and powerfull Hebrews chap. 4. ver 52. and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart And he was clothed with a vesture dipt in bloud Revelation chap. 19. ver 13. and his name is called the word of God As for me Isaiah cha 29. ver 21. this is my covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Blessed are they that hear the word of God Luke chap. 11. ver 28. and keep it Receive with meeknesse James chap. 1. ver 21. the engrafted word of God which is able to save your souls Keep therefore Deuteronomy chap. 29. ver 9. the words of this covenant and do them that so ye may prosper in all that ye do As new born babes 1 Peter chap. 2. ver 2. desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Verily John chap. 5. ver 24. verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life The word of God The word of God the word of Reconciliation 2 Corinthians chap. 5. ver 18.19 called the word of Reconciliation And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation The word of God called the word of truth The word of God the word of Truth Ephesians cha 1. ver 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise The word of God called the word of life The word of God the word of life Philippians chap. 2. ver 16. Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain The word called the word of Christ The word called the word of Christ Collossians chap. 3. ver 16. The word called the faithfull word of God Titus chap. 1. ver 9. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome The word called the faithfull word of God Holding fast the faithfull word of God as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers Thy word have I hid in my heart Psal 119. ver 11. and 42. that I might not sin against thee So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reprocheth me for I trust in thy word So then faith cometh by hearing Romans ch 10. ver 17. and hearing by the word of God Fourthly In our reading and hearing of the word of God and in our meditations thereon the due consideration of all this ought to stirre up in us a love unto the same and a rejoycing therein as by these ensuing places of Scripture may appear I rejoyce at thy word Psal 119. ver 162. Jeremiah cha 15. ver 16. as one that findeth great spoil Thy words were sound and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart for I am called by thy name O Lord God of hosts Lord Psal 26. ver 8. I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth I was glad when they said unto me Psal 122. ver 1. Let us go into the house of the Lord. For a day in thy Courts is better than a thousand Psalm 84. ver 10. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse O how I love thy law Psalm 119. ver 97.127 it is my meditation all the day Therefore I love thy commandements above gold yea above fine gold I delight to do thy will Psal 40. ver 8. O my God yea thy law is within my heart Fifthly These precedent observations being thus made use of by us the word of God which we have thus read heard and meditated on will then doubtlesse be a constant and a perpetuall comfort unto us at all times both in life and death Be thou faithfull unto death Revelation chap. 2. ver 10. and I will give thee a crown of life CHAP. II. Of the severall Books mentioned in the Scriptures THine eyes did see my substance Psal 139. ver 16. yet being unperfect and in thy Book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Then they that feared the Lord Malachie chap. 3. ver 16 17 18. spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a Book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name And they shall be mine The difference between the wicked and the righteous in the day of Judgment saith the Lord of hosts when I make up my Iewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Thou tellest my wandrings Psal 56. ver 8. put thou my teares into thy bottle are they not in thy book And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book Isaiah cha 29. ver 18. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read Isaiah cha 34. ver 16. And at that time shall Michael stand up the great prince Daniel cha 12. ver 1. which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the book And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake Daniel cha 12. ver 2 3. some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever A fiery stream issued Daniel cha 7. ver 10. and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the Iudgement was
grace and Mercy doth descend down upon us as St. Augustine well observeth But there are some Prayers which do not ascend up to Heaven as St. Bernard observeth as namely Oratio timida S. Bernard A fearfull Prayer 2. Oratio tepida A dull and heavy Prayer 3. Oratio temeraria A rash and hasty Prayer These 3 kinds of Prayers as St. Bernard observeth do never ascend up to Heaven Qui orat S. Chrysostom et peccat non orat ad Deum sed deludit as St. Chrysostome observeth He which doth pray unto God and then presently offends again doth not pray unto God as he ought to do but doth even mock and delude him Watch and pray Mat. 26.41 that ye enter not into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Hereupon it is written of an Emperor that had his Page Watch and pray that every morning came unto him using to him these few words namely Vigilasti Emperator vigila O Emperor hast thou been watchfull and carefull of thy self if so it is well Mat. 24.42 be watchfull still Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come Watch therefore Mat 25.13 for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the son of man commeth Take ye heed watch and pray Mark 13.33 35 37. for ye know not when the time is Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the House commeth at even or at midnight or at the Cock-crowing or in the morning Lest comming suddenly he find you sleeping And what I say unto you I say unto all watch Watch and pray ut dignaremini that ye may be found so doing and accounted worchy whereupon saith St. Bernard Dignitas uostra domine et dignitio tua S. Bernard O Lord all our worth and worthiness is only thine and from thee and thy grace to us proceeding and which we have received from thee alone nothing of or from our selves For of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace Io. 1.16 For it pleased the Father Collos 1.19 that in him should all fulness dwell It is well observed by one That the constant daily The benefit of constant and frehuent Prayer and frequent use of Prayer both private and publick is of extraordinary great benefit and comfort unto the parties praying if we do take into our serio consideration these ensuing particulars As namely 1. How needfull and helpfull to all Prayer is and of how dangerous consequence the neglect thereof is 2. How precious a duty and service Prayer is being pleasing and acceptable unto God 3. How powerfull Prayer is in the prevailing even with God himself 1. No better deliverance in time of distress than by Prayer unto God The Lord is my strength and my shield Ps 28.7 my heart trusted in him and I am helped therefore my heart greatly rejoyceth and with my Song will I praise him The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed Psalm 9.9 a refuge in time of trouble Blessed be God that hath not turned away my Prayer Ps 66.20 nor his mercy from me But as for me my Prayer is unto thee O Lord in an acceptable time Ps 69.13 16 17. O God in the multitude of thy mercy hear me in the truth of thy salvation Hear me O Lord for thy loving kindness is good turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies And hide not thy face from thy Servant for I am in trouble hear me speedily One observeth this of Prayer Aeque pauperibus prodest locupletibus aeque Aeque neglectum pueris senibusque nocebit It gaineth good to poor and rich If use thereof be free And hurteth youth as well as age Neglected if it be 2. God caused a House to be made for the performing of this duty and service of Prayer unto himself and styled the same by the name of the House of Prayer Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain Isaiah 56.7 and make them joyfull in my House of Prayer their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar for mine House shall be called an House of Prayer for all People And Iesus said unto them Mat. 21.13 It is written My House shall be called the House of Prayer but ye have made it a Den of Theeves And he taught saying unto them Mar. 11.17 It is written My House shall be called of all Nations the House of Prayer Saying to them Luke 11 46. it is written My House is the House of Prayer 3. The House of Prayer and Prayer used therein together with private Prayer also is the best means to move and cause God to turn away and remove his judgements from us Ask and ye shall receive That is as one observeth Ask by Prayer and ye shall receive And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer Mat. 21.22 believing ye shall receive Therefore I say unto you Mark 11.24 What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Thus we may behold The powerfulness of Prayer and see the powerfull effect of Prayer the same prevailing even with God himself By Prayer Daniel was preserved in the Lions Den. Then said Daniel unto the King Den. 6.21 22. O King live for ever My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut the Lions mouths that they have not hurt me forasmuch as before him Innocency was found in me and also before Thee O King I have done no hurt By Prayer Jonah was delivered in the Whales belly Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the Fishes belly Jonah 2.1 2 7 9 10. And said I cryed by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord and he heard me out of the Belly of Hell cryed I and thou heardest my voice Jonahs Prayer when my Soul fainted within me I remembred the Lord and my Prayer came unto thee into thy holy Temple I will sacrifise unto thee with the voice of Thanksgiving I will pay that that I have vowed Salvation is of the Lord. And the Lord spoke unto the Fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry Land By Prayer Peter in the Prison and bound with Chains was by an Angel deliver'd from the cruel hands of King Herod Peter therefore was kept in Prison Acts 12.5 6 7 8 9. but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him And when Herod would have brought him forth the same night Peter was sleeping between two Souldiers bound with 2 chains the keeper before the door kept the Prison And behold the Angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up saying unto him Arise up quickly and his Chains fell from his hands And the Angel said to him Gird up thy self
Elijah He took up also the mantle of Elijah 2 Kin. 2.14 that fell from him and smote the waters and said Where is the Lord God of Elijah and when he also had smitten the waters they parted hither and thither and Elisha went over By prayer Elisha raised the Shunamites son from death to life again And when Elisha was come into the house 2 Kin. 4.32 33 35 36. behold the child was dead and laid upon his bed He went in therefore and shut the door upon them twain and prayed unto the Lord. And the child neesed seven times and the child opened his eyes And when she was come in unto him he said Take up thy son By prayer Sampson pulled the house down Judg. 16.30 and killed more at his death than in his life By prayer Ahijah obtained victory against Jeroboam king of Israel 2 Chron. 13. 14 15 16 17 18. with half the number because they did relye on God By prayer the great army of Sennacherib king of Assyria 2 Chron. 32.2 3 6 7 8 19 20 21. coming against Hezekiah king of Iudah was overthrown by the Angel of the Lord from heaven And they spake against the God of Ierusalem For this cause Hezekiah the king 2 Kin. 19.15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 34 35 37. Isaiah 39.37 the same and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amos prayed and cried to heaven And the Lord sent an Angel which cut off all the mighty men of valour and the leaders and the captains in the camp of the king of Assyria So he returned with shame to his own land And when he was come into the house of his god they that came out of his own bowels slew him there with the sword And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said O Lord God of Israel Hezekiahs prayer 2 Kin. 19.15 16 19 20 35. which dwellest between the Cherubims thou art the God even thou alone of all the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made heaven and earth Lord bow down thine ear and hear Isaiah 36.37 the same open Lord thine eyes and see and hear the words of Sennacherib which hath sent him to reproch the living God Now therefore O Lord our God I beseech thee save us out of his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God even thou onely Then Isaiah the son of Amos sent to Hezekiah saying Thus saith the Lord God of Israel that which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard And it came to passe that night that the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand and when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead corpses By prayer Asa king of Iudah 2 Chron. 14.9 10 11 12. obtained victory against Zerah the Ethiopian who came against him with an host of a thousand thousand and three hundred chariots And Asa cried unto the Lord his God The prayer of king Asa And said Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power Help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy name we go against this multitude O Lord thou art God let not man prevail against thee So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Iudah and the Ethiopians fled By prayer Iudeth prevailed against the Assyrians Judith 9.7 8 71. who trusted in their strength Judiths prayer force and power Her prayer to God to throw down their strength For thy power standeth not in multitude nor thy might in strong men for thou art the God of the afflicted an helper of the oppressed an upholder of the weak a protector of the forlorn a saviour of them that are without help By prayer Iudas Maccabeus obtained victory from God 2 Maccabees 8.20 36. against Nicanor and with eight thousand men obtained victory against an hundred and twenty thousand in Babylon because of the help they had from heaven and because the Jews had God to fight for them and therefore they could not be hurt By prayer Lazarus being dead and having been four dayes in the grave was raised up again from death to life And Jefus lift up his eyes and said John 11.4 42 43 44. Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me And I know that thou hearest me alwayes but because of the people which stand by I said it that they may believe that thou hast sent me And when he had thus spoken 〈…〉 he cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with his grave-clothes and his face was bound with a napkin Jesus saith unto them Loose him and let him go By prayer the Holy Ghost fell down upon those which believed And when they had prayed Acts 4.31 the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldnesse By prayer Tabitha was raised by Peter from death to life again But Peter put them all forth Acts 9.40 41. and kneeled down and prayed and turning him to the body said Tabitha arise and she opened her eyes and when she saw Peter she sat up And he gave her his hand and lift her up and when he had called the saints and widows he presented her alive By prayer St. Paul healed the father of Publius and others of their diseases And it came to passe Acts 28.8 9. that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloudy flux to whom Paul entred and prayed and laid his hands on him and healed him So when this was done others also which had diseases in the Island came and were healed Prayer as a Father observeth is as a strong city of refuge for us thereby to fly unto God in our greatest need Some in prayer as one observeth never regard what they ask nor how whereupon a Father saith If in prayer we ask of God we care not what we shall then be heard of him we know not when and have one thing granted us for another Matth. 20.20 21 22 23. James 4.3 as the mother of Zebedeus children had Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse that ye may consume it upon your lusts We are often nay continually in great danger and therefore we must often nay continually pray unto God for preservation and deliverance from all dangers And as S. S. Bernards observation as touching the use of prayer Bernard observeth thus much of often prayer so we must duely and carefully follow the same rule by him prescribed as namely When we go out of our house let prayer alwayes arm us accompany us and ever attend upon us for Gods blessing and preservation of us And when we return home again let
as the bed Nothing more resembles our resurrection than our awaking and rising again in the morning This ought to put us daily in mind of our death and resurrection Et Lathi consanguineus sopor Virgil. ut Virgil. Sleep is a Cousin of death Speculum mortis somnnm Tertullian ut Tertullian Sleep is a very spectacle of death Quoties dormis vigilas toties morieris resurgis As often as thou sleepest and awakest again so often by way of resemblance dost thou dye and rise again as a Father observeth Dies iste Seneca quem tanquam extremum reformidas aeterni natalis est ut Seneca That day which thou so much fearest as being thy last day the same day for thy joy and comfort is thy everlasting birth-day Cur igitur doles Tertullian de patientia si periisse non credis ut Tertullian De patientia Why dost thou therefore grieve and lament to think of this thy last day if thou dost believe thou shalt not perish thereby We have rather cause of rejoycing when we think of this our last day of the day of our death the same being the day of our happy change All the daies of my appointed time Iob 14.14 will I wait till my change come Ultimus optimus medicus morberum etiam immedicabilium est mors Aeschilus ut Aeschilus Death is the last and the best Physitian and that of incurable diseases Mors aeterna quies ut Pater Aerumnarum requies mors Death brings us to our everlasting rest and puts an end unto all our miseries The antient Counsels termed the blessed Sacrament Or Viaticum morientis Viaticum Aeternitatis A blessed bate that the devout Soul useth to take in this life when he is even ready to travell for the other life It is very memorably observed by Nazianzen of St. Basil Nazianzen of S. Basil that in his life time he desired that when death came he might be so happy as in the ending of his daies to die with some divine sentence of piety in his mouth at the instant before his death Death is as a Father observeth a passage from Earth to Heaven from a World of endless miseries here to a happy Heaven of everlasting happiness in Heaven And he said unto Iesus Luke 23.42 43. Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdom And Iesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Death as one observeth is a temporary separation of the Soul from the body A location or placing of the body in the Earth from whence it was taken and there to remain till the last day the day of Iudgement being the day of the happy re-uniting of the Soul and Body together again And a translation of the Soul and Spirit of man unto God that gave it who at the first breathed into him the breath of life And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground Gen. 2 7. and breathed into his Nostrils the breath of life and man became a living Soul All in whose Nostrils was the breath of life Gen. 7.22 In the sweat of thy face Gen. 3.19 shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the Ground for out of it was thou taken for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou teturn Cease ye from man Isaiah 2.22 whose breath is in his Nostrils All flesh shall perish together Iob 34.15 and Man shall turn again unto the dust His breath goeth forth Psal 146.4 he returneth to his earth All are of the dust Eccles 3.20 and all turn to dust again Thou takest away their breath Ps 104 29. they dye and return to their dust The Lord created man Ecclus. 7.8 of the earth and turned him into it again Then shall the Dust return to the earth as it was Eccles 12.7 and the Spirit shall return unto GOd who gave it I also am formed out of the clay Iob 33.6 But now O Lord Isaiah 64.8 thou art our Father and we are the clay These and such like meditations cannot choose but make the thought of death to be very happy and comfortable unto us A good name is better than pretious ointment Eccles 12.1 and the day of death than the day of ones birth A promise of Gods mercy A Promise of Gods mercy to comfort us against the day of our death For thou hast delivered my Soul from death Psalm 56.13 I will ransome them from the power of the grave Hosea 13.14 I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plague O grave I will be thy destruction Verily Iohn 5.24 verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life He will swallow me up in victory Isaiah 25.8 9. and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it And it shall be said in that day 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 rejoice in his salvation For thou hast delivered my Soul from death Psal 116.8 mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling For the Lambe which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them Rev. 7 17. and shall lead them unto living Fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 21.4 and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away But we had the sentence of death in our selves 2 Cor. 1.9 10. that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raised the dead who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will deliver us 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth them that are his Who hath saved us 2 Tim. 1.9 10. and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel Forasmuch then as the Chlidren are partakers of flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 15. he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage We know that we have passed from death unto life
the Lord of hosts For as the lightning cometh out of Matth. 24.27 the east and shineth even unto the west so shall also the coming of the Son of man be Immediately after the tribulation of those dayes shall the sun be darkened Matth. 24.29 30 31 33 36. the moon shall not give her light the stars shall fall from heaven the powers of the heaven shall be shaken And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven Mark 13.24 25 26 27 29 32 33. and Luke 21.25 26 27 31 32 33. the same with St. Matthew and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from the one end of heaven to the other When ye shall see all these things know that it is near even at the doors But of that day and hour knoweth no man no nor the angels of heaven but my Father onely By these preceding places of Scripture it appears That the day of Iudgement or the day the Lord is called by the name of the harvest being ripe The harvest of the earth is ripe and therefore to be reaped with the sickle By the name of a noise that shall come even to the ends of the earth and that the Lord hath a controversie with the Nations that he will plead with all flesh and give them that are wicked to the sword Again Of the day of Judgement a farther description and of the effects of it The day of Iudgement further described with full expressions in the Scripture how fearfull and terrible the same shall be and what men shall do for to avoid the same And they shall go into the holes of the rocks Isaiah 2.19 and 10.11 12. all to the same purpose and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth Or then shall they go into the holes of the rocks from before the fear of the Lord and from the glory of his majesty when he shall arise to destroy the earth as another Translation is In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver Isaiah 2.20 and his idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the moles to the bats Or at that day shall a man cast away his silver idols and and his golden idols which they had made themselves to worship them to the moles and to the batts as another Translation is That is Exposition They shall cast them into most vile and filthy places when they perceive that they are not able to help them as the exposition is To go into the clefts of the rocks Isai 2.20 21. and into the tops of the ragged rocks for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth And they shall say to the mountains Cover us and to the hills Hosea 10.8 Fall on us Then shall they begin to say to the mountains Fall on us and to the hills Luke 23.30 Cover us And the kings of the earth Rev. 6.15 16. and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bond-man and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks Fall on us And hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand And in those dayes shall men seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to dye and death shall flee from them Riches Prov. 11.4 profit or avail not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivereth from death Trust not in wicked riches Ecclus 5.8 for they shall not help or profit thee in the day of punishment or vengeance Wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord Amos 5.18 to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light Or what have you to do with it as another Translation is Thus he speaketh because the wicked and hypocrites said they were content to abide Gods Iudgements whereas the godly tremble and fear as the exposition is As if a man did flee from a lion Amos 5.19 20. and a bear met him or went into the house and leaned hard on the wall and a serpent bit him Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even very dark and no brightnesse in it Or and no light in it as another Translation is Behold 1 Cor. 15.51 I shew you a mystery or a secret thing we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed when the Lord cometh to Iudgement some of the saints shall be alive whom he will change even as if they were dead so that this change is instead of death to them as the Exposition is Exposition For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout 1 Thess 4.16 17. with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Meaning them which shall be found alive as the exposition is In this sudden taking up Exposition there shall be a kind of mutation of the qualities of our bodies which shall be as a kind of death as the exposition is And it shall be said in that day Lo Isaiah 25.9 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 In a moment 1 Cor. 15.52 in the twinckling of an eye at the last trump or trumpet for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15.53 and this mortall must put on immortality I will ransome them from the power of the grave Hosea 13.14 I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction Meaning Exposition that no power shall resist God when he will deliver his but even in death he will give them life as the exposition is Therefore be ye ready Matth. 24.44 for in such an hour as you think not the son of man cometh or will come Ye that put farr away the evil day Amos 6.3 and cause the seat of violence to come near