discerne a great disparitie betwixt themselves and others in regard of the graces of infusion knowledge patience zeale wisdome yet if their faith be true though never so weake or small they are equall to the best in the greatest blessings of justification and adoption This that I have said is not for encouragement of the wicked who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse resting contented in the least measure and presume of justification thereby for even thereby it appeareth that their faith is not true because it doth not grow but this is spoken for the comfort of all such as doe carefully use the means and even hunger and thirst after the growth and increase of faith but are fearefull and even out of heart with themselves because they doe discerne their faith to be so little and weake Secondly the least true faith shall never fully nor finally be lost this is Gods promise I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall never depart from me all the daies of their life And Christ hath promised He that commeth to me shall never hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall never thirst Christ praied for Peter that his faith should not faile And so hath he prayed for all those that beleeve in him and promised that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them And Saint Iohn faith Hee that is borne of God doth not commit sinne neither can he because hee is borne of God and his seed remaineth in him Hence it is that he that once truly beleeveth is said to have eternall life To be passed from death to life To be raised and seated in heavenly places Yea to be alreadie glorified From which and many such places of Scriptures which might be alledged we doe infallibly conclude and it is the doctrine of the Church of England and of Orthodox Divines even the conclusion of the whole late Reverend Synode at Dort against Papists Arminians and whosoever Heretiques that deny it That a true faith once had is never fully nor finally lost I doe not deny but all the graces of the Spirit are like to fire if it be not nourished with fewel but have water cast upon it a great fire may be exceedingly slaked and great brands come to some few embers or sparkes So faith through neglect of meanes and falling into some great sinne the Spirit of God may be grieved the power vertue and efficacie of faith may be greatly cooled and abated and the sense of saving grace lost A true beleever may fall into a spirituall sownd but cannot die he may demurre with himselfe whether he be living or dead yea may pronounce himselfe dead but as the Apostle pronounced of Eutichus after his fall life is in him his faith is as a sparke of fire under an heape of ashes and as sap in the root of the tree in Winter time It was Peters case whose fall did wound but not kill weaken but not utterly destroy his faith upon his Masters looking upon him and hearing the Cock crow his faith revived He went out and wept bitterly for his sinne Yea true faith is so farre from being utterly lost that by the use of good meanes it doth out-grow the Mustard-seed yea out-grow Ionahs Gourd Nichodemus who was once so weake in the faith that he came to Iesus by night for feare of the Iewes yet his faith so grew that when Christ was crucified and all the Disciples fled hee went in boldly and begged the bodie of Iesus embalmed and honourably buried it Peter so weake in faith that at the voice of a silly Damsell hee denied his Master yet his faith so grew that he boldly reproved the Princes to their faces for murthering the Lord of life Thomas his faith was so weake that he openly professed hee would not beleeve that his Master was risen from death unlesse he did see the print of the nailes and put his hand into his side but it did so grow when Christ appeared againe and bade him see and feele that he said in a strong faith Thou art my Lord and my God Yea it is many times seene in daies of persecution and of great trials that such as in peace and prosperitie have shewed a strong faith and great zeale abundance of graces have in adversity beene humbled with great feare and bewrayed great weaknesse of faith Whereas such as in times of peace have shewed small knowledge little faith and weake zeale yet in time of persecution in the strength of knowledge â—aith and zeale they have stood out against the enemies and have sealed the truth of God with their dearest bloud wherein is fulfilled that of the blessed Virgin in her Song Hee putteth downe the mightie from their seats and exalteth the humble and meeke he filleth the hungrie with good things and the rich he sendeth emptie away And all this is that such as are strong and have greatest measure of graces may not be proud and presumptuous but carry a low saile thinke basely of themselves and worke out their salvation with feare and trembling praying God not to tempt them above that which they shall be able And secondly that such as are but weake in faith may not be too much disheartened and dejected seeing the Lord is able to make them strong Yea that we thinke charitably and walke lovingly towards even the weakest they that are strong beare the infirmities of the weake Rom 15. 1. For if triall came the Lord knoweth whose saith would be strong But be of good comfort oh yee weake and tender ones for if your faith be true though never so weake it shall never be fully nor finally lost yea if God have any great service for you he will furnish you accordingly his power shall appeare in your weaknesse and your bruised reed shall become as strong as the Oake in Bashan so as no storme or tempest shall be able to overthrow it Yea here let us with wise eyes behold and with thankfull hearts give glory unto God who as in the firmament one starre differeth from another in his Church furnisheth his Saints with diversitie of gifts giving to some a great measure of knowledge faith zeale to others but a little of them that such as have greatest measure may be provoked to thankfulnesse and employ their gifts to the comfort of others and the weake may have cause both of humilitie and industrie striving to overtake such as goe before them but none have cause to envie or despise another though through Satans malice and our weaknesse it too often so fall out The third and last deduction for the comfort of weake beleevers is that God heareth and accepteth the prayers of the weakest beleevers and graciously helpeth them It was prophesied of Christ hee should not break the bruised reed nor quench the
bed-chamber nor his bed no nor from off the Kings owne person as if they had said as Iehu did Come see the zeale that we have to plague the Tyrant that thus oppresseth Gods people Oh see the zeale of the Sea when God gave it commission to attach his fugitive Prophet it wrought and was troublous it wrought and was troublous The Mariners for their lives could not bring Ionah to shore if they had not cast him in the Sea would have devoured them all q. d. See the zeale we have to the Lord of hosts in pursuit of him who is so disobediently fled from the presence of his God The Apostle calleth the fire of hell a zealous fire devouring the adversaries which Dives found by wofull experience when hee complained that hee was tormented in that flame and craved a drop of water to coole his tongue But woe and alas that man is excepted out of the Catalogue of obedient and zealous creatures That man endued with Reason and shew of Religion that the Lord of the creatures should be set to schoole to learne of the poore Pismire that God should so call and command and he either doe nothing but cast his commandements behinde his backe or doe what he doth to halfes Oh that man should give God such just cause to complaine of him I have nourished and exalted children and they have rebelled against me And I have called and yee refused I have stretched out mine hand and no man regarded yee have set at nought all my counsels would none of my reproofe And I have spread out mine hands all the day to a rebellious people How did Christ complaine of the Iewes Yee will not come unto me that yee may have life And againe O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and yee would not How did Steven at his death complaine Yee stiffe-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares yee doe alwaies resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe yee Oh that man created after Gods image and little inferiour to the Angels should not only be compared to the beasts that perish but have the dullest and rudest of them preferred before him The Oxe saith God knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doe not understand Yea the Storck in the heaven Turtle Crane and Swallow know their appointed times but my people know not the iudgement of the Lord Oh let us now profit by this usefull Doctrine First let us learne ever to trust in him how extremely desperate soever things may be with us or Gods people it is an easie thing with him to remedie all He needeth not send Legions of Angels no nor muster troops of men and arme them with sword and speare hee is the Lord of Hosts and there are not the meanest and weakest souldiers in all his band not flies lice wormes excepted but if Christ command them they are armed with power to quell the pride of the greatest Monarchs and Monarchies in the world The second Use is that we feare this great God and commander of Sea and Land who is able to cut us downe like grasse to blow us away like dust to sweepe us away as dung Oh that men should not feare that mighty God but dare to blaspheme his Name being every where in the midst of his Armie and he able to make the least dust to be our death and the basest creature we see or with contempt doe tread upon to be our destruction This Use God himselfe presseth Heare now this ô foolish people and without understanding which have eyes and see not which have eares and heare not Feare yee not me saith the Lord Or will yee not be afraid at my presence which have placed the sand for the bounds of the sea And againe If I be your Lord where is my feare The Sea saw God and fled And David biddeth the earth to tremble at his presence Shall Earth and Sea those vast and senslesse creatures so feare and tremble and shall not man a worme of the earth stand in awe The third and last Use is that from the Example of all creatures in Heaven Firmament Aire Earth Sea and Hel we learne to obey the voice of Christ This is it David so urgeth To day if yee will heare his voice harden not you hearts Be doers of the word not hearers only The Sea did roare in the storme And even now that it is still it stil lifteth up the voice He that hath eares to heare may heare it call for obedience Habent miracula linguam si intelligantur factum verbi verbum nobis August in Iohan. tract 24. A learned man hath an elegant fiction of the world calling on man to serve and obey God in these words See how God loved thee that made me for thee I serve thee because I am made for thee that thou maiest serve him that made both thee and me me for thee and thee for himselfe Oh man if thou be disobedient all creatures even Devils will rise in judgement and condemne thee For the mysterie As by the storme persecution so by the calme the peace and tranquillitie of the Church is represented and teacheth First that in despight of Sathan and all enemies which he can raise Gods people in the end shall have a calme peace and quietnesse For illustration of which Doctrine note that the calme is twofold viz. externall and internall Externall is twofold viz generall or particular Generall concerning all or many of Gods people and particular in regard of some one or few mens persons and estates For the generall see what gratious promises God hath made to his Church The gates of hell shall not prevaile against it It is Gods house built upon a rocke though the raine descend flouds come winds blow and beat upon it yet it falleth not This was typically represented in the bush which burned but consumed not In Noahs Arke though the waters prevailed long yet at last the Arke arrived safely upon Mount Ararat and the Dove returned with an Olive leafe in her mouth an infallible token that the waters were abated from off the earth There hath beene a great tempest but our ship hath out-rid it it liveth and now there is a great calme Which promises and types have in all ages been verified The children of Israel were greatly oppressed in Egypt but could not be destroyed the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew they endured a great tempest and in the end God sent a great calme when he brought forth his people with ioy and his chosen with
will goe to their Master Yea let Ionah be cast into the Sea and be swallowed of a Whale and then he will cry to the Lord A strange thing saith one that he that slept in the ship should be awake in the Whales belly and he that fled from God on dry land should flie to God in the bottome of the sea Oh when men have all things according to their hearts desire they seeke not the Lord. Prosperitie dulleth devotion in the best as David found by experience In my prosperitie I said I shall never be moved but thou hiddest thy face and I was troubled then I cried to the Lord and made supplication to my God Oh to correct this dulnesse and negligence it is that God many times taketh away good things from his people and sendeth many evils both generall to the Church and Common-wealth as famine pestilence sword and particular on our families and persons as sicknesse ache paine death of friends losses and crosses and all because as we say God would be better acquainted with us and see us at his Court for in miserie he knoweth he shall heare of us but else let us alone and we let him alone So much in stead of much more be said from the letter and historie Now let us proceed to the mysterie You have heard that this storme so endangering this ship doth represent persecutions and troubles which in this world doe infest the people of God As then the disciples in this dangerous tempest went to Christ and by prayer to him procured a calme so when the Church of God is persecuted and in danger all the disciples of Christ must goe to him by prayer for it So doth David injoyne Pray for the peace of Ierusalem Luther calleth prayers the Christians Canons and surely being well charged with faith and repentance and fired with zeale and fervencie of spirit they shoot farre and pierce deepe yea it pierceth heaven and overcommeth enemies on earth As then Kings and Princes when enemies approach prepare their weapons armour swords and speares When Christians heare of warres and rumours of wars they must prepare themselves to prayer muster their petitions and set them in battell array as David saith Psal 5. 3. and not trust too much in earthly meanes as David saith Some trust in horses and some in chariots but we will trust in the name of the Lord And againe An horse is counted but a vaine thing to save a man neither is any mighty man delivered by his much strength and I will not trust in my bowe it is not my sword that can save me but in God we boast all the day long The horse is prepared for the day of battell but salvation is from the Lord By all which and many other places of Scripture which might be alledged to this purpose the use of meanes is not condemned but that they be not trusted in but be seconded with true and faithfull prayer David neglected not the meanes yet purposely penned a forme of prayer for the people to use when he went forth to battell The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble the name of the God of Iacob defend thee send thee helpe from his Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Sion Moses neglected not the meanes when he sent forth Ioshuah with his Armies to fight with Amalek but himselfe went up to the top of the mountaine to pray and did more there with his prayer than all they with sword and speare For when he held up his hands Israel prevailed when he let them fall Amalek prevailed King Asa neglected not the means when there came up an huge Armie of Ethiopians even ten hundred thousands and three hundred Chariots He went out against them and set the battell in array and Asa cried to the Lord and the Lord heard his prayer and discomfited them Yea the greatest and most glorious deliverances and victories that ever the Church received from enemies were meerely obtained by prayer without a blow given Moses and the children of Israel crying to the Lord in their distresse at the Red Sea God hardned Pharaohs heart to pursue them into the Red Sea where he and all his hosts were drowned Gedeon with three hundred men only with trumpets and lamps in pitchers but sounding their trumpets breaking their pitchers and crying The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon not only the huge Armie of the Midianites ran and cried and fled but every mans sword was against his fellow and they slew one another When Samariah was in exceeding distresse by siege the Lord made the hoast of the Syrians to heare a noise of a great hoast in the feare whereof they arose and fled in the twilight and left their tents and horses and all the Campe as it was and fled for their lives When Ierusalem was besieged at the prayers of Esay and Ezekiah an Angell was sent who destroyed in one night an hundred fourescore and five thousand in the campe of the Assirians When such a great Armie came up against Iehoshaphat he commanded fasting and prayer and his forme of praier is recorded whereby they obtained that their enemies destroyed one another Oh the same God liveth still and is now as able and willing to helpe his people as ever but his people neglect him goe not unto him but trust in their owne meanes want the spirit of supplication like Ionah they are on sleepe in this great storme either pray not at all or very coldly Where is that disciple that feelingly and fervently zealously and faithfully publikely and privately at the least thrice a day with Daniel is on knee for Ierusalem helping devotion with abstinence and fasting that so they may cry mightily and wrestle strongly resolving as Iacob never to let the Lord goe and with the woman of Canaan to take no nay or deniall but they will awake him he shall never be rid of them Alas how are these things out of use Where is watching fasting striving in prayer How little are many moved being out of the storme and present danger themselves whether others doe sinke or swim but give themselves to riot and luxurie to feasting and playing Wherefore God hath sent me to you againe as this Scripture commeth not to my hand by chance so neither this passage wherewith to renue in his name the charge I have often already given There is a great storme and if ever you desire to see a calme away with his disciples here to Christ What meane yee oh sleepers arise and call on him and plie him with your continuall prayers he looketh for more earnestnesse than he hath yet found Oh pray pray pray for the peace of Ierusalem Resolve with David One thing I have desired of the Lord and that will I seeke after that the Lord will awake and have mercy on Sion
So much be said of this verse in generall Now let us view the words more particularly Wherein not tying my selfe to tread precisely in the steps of the former Analysis though perhaps more Logicall and exact for more plainnesse of teaching I observe in this verse these foure things viz. First who procured this calme the Disciples Secondly of whom did they procure it of Christ They came to him Thirdly the effect of their comming to him They awoke him Lastly how did they awaken him by prayer the forme which they used being here expressed Lord save us we perish Of which in order for their Sense Doctrines and Uses And his disciples The word hath beene sufficiently opened from the first verse of this storie his disciples followed him I will not now rehearse any thing was there said but come to raise the Doctrines from this place His disciples Here first we learne whose praiers are so powerfull with God for themselves and others not the prayers of strangers forreiners and enemies but of disciples friends and favourites that follow him The Lord heareth the prayers of the righteous and his eares are open to their cries u He is nigh to such as call on him faithfully He will fulfill the desires of such as feare him he will heare their cry and will save them Psal 145. 18. It is the prayer of a righteous man is so availeable Iam. 5. 16. If any man be a worshipper of God and doe his will him God heareth Wherefore in the great calamitie and distresse of the Church the Prophet calleth to the meeke of the earth to seeke the Lord It was Abraham the friend of God that prevailed so much with his prayer for the Sodomites It was his faithfull servant Moses would not let him alone but stood up in the breach and turned away Gods anger that he could not destroy the people as he said It was zealous Phinehas that prayed and so the plague ceased It was religious Ioshuah who said that he and his house would serve the Lord Iosh 24. 25. that by his prayer commanded the Sunne and Moone to stand in the Firmament It was fervent Elijah whose tongue was the bridle of heaven * opening and shutting it by his prayer It was holy Samuel who by his prayer in time of wheat-harvest obtained such a strange thunder and raine It was the Church by prayers obtained an Angell to be sent who brake off Peters chaines made the Iron gate to open of it owne accord and delivered Peter out of Prison c. But God heareth not sinners though such doe multiply their prayers he will not heare though such seeke him early they shall not finde him he will stand aloofe and laugh at their calamitie as their prayers turne to be sinne unto them so are they abhominable unto God And no marvell For how shall any call on him in whom they have not beleeved No matter therefore whether the wicked pray or no yea all their fasting praying and crying not worth a straw But oh yee meeke yee true disciples yee that have your hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and bodies washed with pure water yee that have cleane hands and a pure heart yee are Gods favourites pray for a calme yee are the chariots and horsemen of Israel stand in the gap day and night keepe not silence and give the Lord no rest till he have mercy on Sion Secondly observe that it is in the plurall not disciple but disciples not one or two but as farre as may be gathered even all of them And great reason For as the penitent theefe said to his fellow they were all in the same condemnation If the ship had sunke into the waves they had all perished Lord save us we perish It is otherwise in many of Gods Iudgements upon the Land as pestilence famine sword Some are more subject to the evill and misery of some of these than the other The poore are most pinched with famine many rich men make great gaine thereof but the sword doth chiefly feed on the rich It is the rich mans wealth maketh him a prey to the poore hungry ravenous souldier The rich in other Countries are punished with sword the poore in our Country with famine and want But ye rich men know that this is Gods judgement for your sinnes as well as the sinnes of the poore and if not to the same yet without repentance yee are subject to greater condemnation God hath in store such Judgements as may more neerely touch you Wherefore put your necks under Gods yoke goe to Christ by prayer for the poore have compassion on them beyond your power be liberall unto them eat no pleasant bread your selves abstaine from feasting that you may be better able to feed the hungry and such as are forced to fast Observe lastly that the Disciples not Peter Iames and Iohn though counted pillars and in many things preferred before the rest yet all goe to Christ to further the common good and to helpe by prayers to procure the common salvation The godly poore man is sometimes out of heart to goe to Christ and pray and the rich man despiseth his prayer as Solomon saith The poore mans wisdome is despised but know that with Christ there is no respect of persons Hee hath taught the poorest man that beleeveth in him as boldly to call God his Father as the rich Yea for their incouragement David hath said God forgetteth not the cry of the poore he doth not abhorre nor despise the low estate of the poore nor hide his face from him but when he crieth unto him he heareth he will deliver the needy when he crieth the poore and him that hath no helper Let them then with good comfort pray and let not rich men despise but rather by their mercifull dealing towards them provoke them to blesse them and pray for them for David saith The man is blessed that considereth the poore and needy the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble Therefore make you friends of the mammon of unrighteousnesse saith Christ to rich men If they be Disciples intreat them to goe to Christ for you Yea though you have never so great a measure of Knowledge Faith Zeale and Godlinesse your selves yet may you reape benefit by the poorest and meanest in the houshold of faith Yea S. Paul himselfe did often very instantly crave the prayers of all those to whom he did write whether great or small poore or rich and hoped to finde much good from such prayers So much for the first part viz. the persons procuring this calme his Disciples Now secondly to whom goe they where doe they secke it To him That is to Christ their Lord and Master
wiser than so they lay not hold on Christ to cast him into the sea but seeke to awaken him by prayer Lord save us we perish Whensoever any storme ariseth in Church Common-wealth or soule they are safest that cleave fastest to Christ for he is the Saviour of all and specially of them that beleeve Now let us in the first place compare the three Euangelists who doe record this story wherein three things offer themselves to be observed First the forme and manner of phrase is varied Our Euangelist expresseth it in the forme of an humble prayer Lord save us we perish but S. Marke layeth it downe in manner of an angrie and pettish expostulation Master carest thou not that wee perish The same also that David used Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for ever doth his promise faile for evermore Hath hee forgotten to be gracious and wil he shut up his louing kindnesses in displeasure Yea and all the people of God Vp Lord why sleepest thou awake and be not absent from us for ever And againe Why withdrawest thou thine hand why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosome O Lord how great is the weaknesse of Gods people How great their boldnesse that being but wormes and dust and ashes they dare so speake to the eternall Maiestie even quarrell with him that is able to destroy both body and soule David acknowledged it was his infirmitie It was these disciples infirmity it became them well to pray but very unseemely yeâ— and dangerous to expostulare and contest with Christ Let us strive to follow them in that which is good and leave them in that which is evill Secondly whereas our Euangelist hath it but single Lord save us Saint Luke expresseth it with a double appellation or with ingemination of the title Master Master which intendeth their earnestnesse and fervencie in prayer Thirdly they doe greatly vary the title which they give him yea the three Euangelists doe use three severall titles which though the Latine and our English expresse not are very significant and emphaticall in their originall proprieties S. Markes title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in English signifieth a Teacher of letters manners or any Art in relation whereunto they were called disciples scholars or learners A reverend title which they often gave him and he assumed Yee call me Master and say well for so I am and presseth the use of it the disciple is not aboue his Master Saint Lukes title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth in English a Defender a present Helper such as in times of warre are sworne brethren to live and die together commiles succenturiatus and in times of peace Guardians of infants Shepherds have the same title who are defenders of their flockes and Aristotle calleth Magistrates so who are to defend their subjects from wrongs or hurts A sweet title this is for how safe are they whose defender the Lord is The title in the Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth power or might Answerable to that glorious Tetragrammaton Iehovah which the Septuagint constantly translate thorowout the old Testament in this word an essentiall title and in the Hebrew not given to any but the true God and this in the Greeke is the most common title Christ had and by him acknowledged Yee call mee Lord and yee say well for so I am The titles well considered afford two waightie Arguments or Reasons why they pray to him and he is to heare and helpe them In that he is their Teacher and Defender sheweth his willingnesse for will such an one suffer his Scholars and Pupils to perish In that he is Lord and Iehovah he is able to deliver them So they pray unto him with Confidence because he is their loving Master and Defender And with Reverence because he is their Lord and God In that he is their Master they pray in love in that he is their Lord they pray in feare Hee being their Master they are not timidi over-fearefull He being their Lord they are not tumidi over-bold but pray with love and reverence as David counselleth they rejoyce with trembling So much for the Observations inlightning the Text and arising from comparing of the Euangelists Now for our more orderly proceeding note in this their prayer two parts viz. First a Petition Lord save us Secondly a Reason taken from their great jeoperdie we perish q. d. Lord save us for we are in danger now to be drowned Of the Petition first generally and then particularly The words are cleare and plaine for their sense Only by the way note in one word that to save in a strict sense is properly to deliver from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes as the Apostle saich There is no other name wherby to be saved this is the Reason why Christ was called Iesus or Saviour because he saveth his people from their sinnes But in a larger sense it signifieth to preserve from some bodily hurt and this appertaineth to Christ also in which respect hee is called the Saviour of all men that is in regard of this present life as Saint Ambrose expoundeth it For in him we live move and have our being without whose good pleasure not an haire can fall from our heads yea He saveth both man and beast Or as our last Translators more fully expresse the sense Hee preserveth both man and beast and that is the sense of this place Lord save us Lord preserve us from these raging waves which threaten imminent death unto us So much be said for opening the sense of thâ—â— their Petition Hence first in generall we learne that affliction distresse and perplexitie is the best school-master or mistresse of prayer Which thing the Prophet teacheth from his owne experience Lord introuble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them like as a woman with childe that draweth neare the time of her deliverie is in paine and crieth out in her pangs so have we beene in thy sight O Lord And another Prophet saith In time of trouble they will say Arise and save us Yea God himselfe hath said In their afflictions they will seeke me early Wherefore David prayeth for his enemies good in this forme Fill their faces with shame that they may seeke thy name O Lord Let Moses see the people of God in great danger and then he will crie to the Lord Let Annah be barren and Peninnah checke her and pro voke her and then shee will weepe and powre out even her soule in prayer Let God turne away his face from David and he will get unto his Lord right humbly Yea if hee come into the deepes hee will crie unto
God Let Ionah be cast into the sea and devoured of a Whale and he will pray out of the fishes belly and crie by reason of his affliction Let the woman of Canaans daughter be grievously vexed with a Devill and shee will pray to Christ yea follow after him and take no deniall Let there arise a storme that the Disciples are all like to be drowned and then you shall heare their prayers Lord save us c. Let Pharaoh be plagued and if he cannot pray himselfe he will intreat Moses and Aaron to doe it for him And surely amongst others this is one singular benefit of affliction that it provoketh prayer than which there is nothing more pleasing to God or profitable to our selves yea this is not the least benefit from the great troubles which have befallen the Church and people of God that God hath received many a sigh sob groane teare and prayer which else he had not knowne Well if Affliction be the Mistresse of Prayer surely never were Gods people more taught to pray than in these daies such warres and rumours of warres troubles distresses perplexities on everie side Oh pray for the peace of Ierusalem But alas herein we are generally too cold and negligent how are publike humiliations and solemne assemblies in fasting weeping mourning and confessing of sinnes laid aside and as it were worne out of date How justly may God complaine of us as sometimes he did of his owne people I called to fasting weeping mourning baldnesse and girding with sack-cloth But behold joy and glad nesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die Or who in private is so affected with the calamities of their brethren as feelingly and fervently to pray for them in the words of my Text Lord save them No no in stead of fasting and praying we feast and play we wanton and riot it still we thinke our selves out of danger in sure harbour and are therefore senslesse of the miseries of our brethren few as they ought doe pray for them a sinne which once God threatned This is revealed in mine eares surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till yee die saith the Lord God of hoasts Oh arise and call upon God in this troublesome time that we perish not Secondly hence we may learne how powerfull even a short prayer is with God so it be fervent yea therfore short praiers commonly most powerfull because commonly most fervent The counsell of Salomon is Let thy words be few The counsell of Iesus the son of Swach iâ— Make not much babbling when thou prayest Yeâ— Iesus â—he Son of God and wiser than Salomon biddeth When we pray to use no vaine repetitions In all which long prayers are not simply forbidden discommended or disgraced so they be with fervenâ—â— of spirit and without opinion of being heard for much babbling sake A great part of the day at a publike fast was spent in prayers and confession of sins And though our Saviour Christ many times were very briefe yet he spent whole nights in prayer And a large Chapter is but one of his prayers therefore most sweet and powerfull are the long prayers of Gods people when time place and occasion serve but because even Moses his hands grew heavie and though the spirit be never so wiling the flesh is weake and quickly dulled and distracted and no prayer is further heard or pleasing to God than it is fervent therefore the Scripture prayers which have most prevailed with God are most short and but as holy ejaculations Moses cried but spake never a word Annah powred out her soule and wept sore but spake not The prayer of the Leper was Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane The prayer of the blind men O Lord Sonne of David have mercy on us The prayer of Christ for himselfe Father if thou wilt let this cup passe from me and againe the same words and for his enemies Father forgive them they know not what they doe The prayer of the Publican God be mercifull to mee a sinner The prayer of the father of the sicke childe Lord helpe mine unbeleefe The prayer of the penitent theefe Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome The prayer of Saint Stephen for his persecutors Lord lay not this sinne to their charge The prayer of the Disciples here because the time was short death at hand place inconvenient and distractions many they beg all in a few words and couch a great deale of devotion in a little roome Lord save us we perish All which I observe for the speciall comfort of such as mourne in their soules because of their want in this kinde and are much assaulted with this temptation that they cannot pray and therefore cannot be Gods children because they have not Gods spirit Indeed the Spirit of God is called the spirit of supplication and it is an excellent gift of the Spirit and much to be desired whereby a man or woman when times places and occasions serve are able to lay open their wants and in Scripture phrase to expresse their desires but yet the Apostle saith The Spirit doth helpe our infirmities with sighes and grones which cannot be expressed yea if thou canst say no more but as thou hast heard Lord save us Lord have mercy Lord remember Lord helpe mine unbeleefe If faithfully and fervently these are most powerfull prayers with God yet strive to increase in this grace for God may accept at the beginning what he will not afterwards be content withall yea whosoever useth this gift aright shall doubtlesse finde a gracious increase therein And so much be said of the petition in generall now let us view it more particularly It is short and in most languages that I know hath but three words I say in most for such is the elegancie of the Hebrew Language affixing the Pronounes that in it here are but two yet in Greeke Latine and English three Which three words containe so many vertues in this and in all godly composed prayers The first noteth the partie to whom all prayers are to be made Lord. The second the blessing they crave salvation The third communitie and love us Lord save us For the first they pray to the Lord not to the Lady to change the Gender is Popish wickednesse A Reverend Bishop hath truly observed that it is a sufficient challenge to all the Papists that in so many prayers of both ancient and righteous Patriarcks Prophets Iudges Kings registred in the Booke of God and in an hundred and fiftie Psalmes an hundred whereof at least are prayers and supplications and in all the devout requests that the Apostles of Christ and other his disciples sent into Heaven if they take the
are to be considered viz. A preparation then hee arose Secondly the reprehension it selfe hee rebuked the winds and seas Then he arose That is when by reprehension he had decreased the feare and increased the faith of his disciples and so prepared and fitted them to the fruitfull sight of this ensuing Miracle then hee arose Which teacheth vs That God is many times hindred from doing great works by the indisposition of his people Christ could as soone as ever he awaked have start up and rebuked the winds and seas but his disciples were in extreme passion which as the wise heathen man hath truly said destroieth judgement and understanding As the eye which is exceedingly troubled with humours and theumes cannot abide to looke on the Sunne no more can a passionate and troubled minde behold with content and comfort the great and glorious sworkes of God If then wee thinke it long ere God helpe us or his people let us not murmure and have thoughts of Belial concerning God and as though he had cast off all care and loving affection complaine That hee had forgotten to be mercifull and would for ever shut up his loving kindnesse in displeasure c But let us looke into our selves and know that something is amisse in us wee want Faith Repentance or Patience which when the Lord hath cured then he will arise and helpe us He arose Or arising To arise properly doth signifie such a gesture or motion of the body which hath sate or beene laied whereby it doth prepare and addresse it selfe to some other posirure disposition or actiō as standing walking running c. So Peter said to the Creeple that was laid at the Beautifull Gate of the Temple to aske almes of them that entred into the Temple In the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walke So here it is taken properly For at the least Christ had laied downe his head on a pillow and reposed himselfe but now he arose I leave the letter To arise in Scriptures is often used for preparation to some businesse doth not intend any bodily sitting or lying before as God called Arise Ionah and goe to Ninivie And to Ieremy Trusse up thy loines arise and speake unto them And to Ezechiel Sonne of man stand upon thy feet All which intend no more but goe about that businesse I have appointed you unto By figurative Translation of that which is proper unto man to God he is many times in Scriptures said To sleepe and wake Lie downe and rise up Where by rising is meant nothing else but Gods preparing of himselfe to declare visibly his Mercy or Iustice Love or Anger Greatnesse or Goodnesse in the punishing of his enemies or saving of his people The Lord thus promiseth his helpe for the oppression of the poore and deepe sighing of the needie Now will I arise and set him in safetie from him that puffeth at him And elsewhere with many moe words to this purpose Now will I arise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my selfe Seeing then God is pleased thus to speake of himselfe and in such a Metaphoricall phrase to promise his helpe his Church and people are bold in the same phrase to crave his helpe as Arise Lord and let thine enemies be scattered arise O God and judge the earth Arise Lord and save us So much for the sense Here for instruction we learne That howsoever Christ may seeme to sleepe long and then Satan and his instruments are busie and by God great but just permission bring the Church of God in generall and many Gods faithfull servants in particular into great extremitie and distresse yet in that needfull and best time when it shall bee most for his glorie and his peoples good hee will not faile to awake arise and helpe them This is it which David so plainly teacheth in the Psalmes saying He for sooke the Tabernacle of Shiloh he delivered his strength into captivitie and his beautie into the enemies hands Hee gave his people over to the sword and was wroth with his inheritance fire consumed their young men and their maidens were not given to mariage their Priests fell by the sword and there were no widowes to make lamentation Oh what havocke enemies make of Gods Church and people when God maketh as though he were on sleep and regarded not But marke what followeth when things were brought to this desperate extremitie then the Lord awaked as one out of sleepe and like a giant refreshed with wine he smote his enemies on the hinder parts and put them to a perpetuall shame The Lord seemed to sleep long when his Church and people sojourned in Egypt foure hundred yeeres Oh then their enemies oppressed them laid an iron yoke on their necks made them to tread in mire and clay gather stubble where they could finde it and every day felt the lash of the whip being not able to do what was commanded Yea then they tooke crafty counsell how to destroy them by the drowning of all their male children But at the last the Lord awaked and rose up to help them met with Moses at Horeb and told him I have seene I have seene the affliction of my people and then he brought out his people with ioy and his chosen with gladnesse and sent plague upon plague on their enemies till he utterly destroyed them in the Red Sea The Lord seemed to sleepe long when wicked Haman obtained a decrce that all the Iewes should be destroyed The Decree is written sealed published and day for execution appointed but he was awakened and raised up with the prayers and teares of his people and then the King could not sleepe readeth in the Chronicle of Mordocaies fidelitie bethinketh how to honour and reward him maketh Haman himselfe the instrument therein Hester is promoted Mordocat honoured Haman and his sonnes hanged the Decree disanulled the people of the Land slaine by thousands and the Iewes have dayes of feasting and ioy for their deliverance The like might be shewed in many other Examples The doctrine is most true That howsoever God may seeme for a time to sleepe and wholly to neglect the estate of his people and then they fall into great extremities yet ever in his good time he hath and will awake arise and helpe them Oh let Gods people trust in him and awaken and raise him up by Fasting and Prayer and sound Repentance Yet know that he is not easily awakened and raised When God for the sinnes of his people doth returne to his place and as it were betaketh himselfe to his chamber and couch it is no easie thing to a waken him It may cost many a heavy sigh many a bitter teare much smiting of thigh and knocking of breast It will cost deare