I want strength to perform the least service or duty O Law saith the soul what no mercy no pity consider my weaknes how unable I am in my self to perform the least duty as I ought O Law I pray thee accept of what I can do no saith the Law I take no notice of what thou art not able to do but what thou art bound to do Luke 17. 10. I require no more then is my due if you cannot give it me look you unto that for my part I will have my full tale of perfect and constant obedience here in this life or you shall give me satisfaction in hell to all eternity Do not tell me you want strength or ability to perform go get you that where you can look you out the straw your selves I shall give you none but let not me misse of my tale of brick Gal. 2 10. with Ezek. 18. 24. Thus you see how parallel the language of the old covenant runs with the voice of the Egyptian task-masters to the Israelites under them Besides in Exod. 14. we finde thâ—t Pharaohs task-masters did beat and abuse the Israelites very much in their work This very well suits with the old covenant of works O what lashes and blows does it give those that live under it First In the conscience within O what thunder claps have some men had within them from the Law O how hath it made some men to roar and to cry out at midnight upon their beds for their breach of it How dreadfully did it lash the conscience of Cain and how did it dog Judas until it dogged his neck into a halter therefore doth the Scripture pitty those that are under it crying out a wounded conscience who can bear those that have been under the lash of the Lâ—w in the conscience can say never was poor man in Turkey in the like misery they would have exchanged conditions with the veriest slave in all the world night and day terrified with dreadful sounds of the wrath of God and the judgement day to come shewing the soul his portion in everlasting burnings where he shall seek for death but death shall be far from him Although the soul runneth to his duties and doth what he can to pacifie the Law but alas all to no purpose for the Law quarrels with him about every duty so that here is the Dilemma the Law hath all his in they shall suffer one way or other if they do not live holy and strict in their lives then he comes upon them with his curses and plagues If they do live holy and as unblameable as they can yet the Law curseth them that way because it is an obedience full of spots and defilements Luke 17. 10. Secondly The Law lasheth men externally as well as internally in the conscience O what plagues and punishments upon body estate and relations hath it brought home on some men for their disobeying of it You may see a whole file of curses plagues punishments judgments and afflictious hang up upon the bar of the Law against its offenders Deut. 28. from ver 15. to 38. Lastly The officers of Egypt would not hear the bitter cryes of the poor Jews under their burthens ver 16 17. how well doth this agree with the old covenant of works what little mercy doth that shew any that are under it how little is it affected with their cries and tears could men cry to it for mercy as loud as ever heaven thundered it would be to no purpose could men weep so much blood out of their eyes as there is water in the Sea the Law would not take any notice of it Ezek. 18. 24. This Esau tried Heb. 12. 16 17. For after he had sold his birth-right he found no repentance although he sought it carefully with tears Alas friends the Law knows no repentance repentance is a fruit of the new covenant of grace not of the old Thus you see both how the Land of Egypt with its task-masters together with their carriages towards the Israelites doth agree as the type with the state of nature in which carnel men are in together with the old covenant and his carriage toward those that live under him CHAP. 3. I next come to speak of the eating of the Lamb together with the circumstances belonging thereunto which agreeth very well with the Ante-type as we shall shew you in the next place IN which there are these three things to be considered First The occasion of the Lamb. Secondly The manner of eating it Thirdly The benefits the people had by eating the Lamb. First The occasion of the Lamb which was to save the people from that generall judgement which was to passe over the whole Land of Egypt This shews the exceeding love and mercy of God to the whole world who by Adams Garden transgression and their own actual sins all are lyable to the destroying Angel of Gods Justice which will certainly pass over the whole earth with a flaming sword of God vengeance to execute it on offenders Rom. 1. 18. For the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who with-hold the truth in unrighteousness Heb. 10. 36. For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversary so Jude 14. 15. The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him 2 Thes 1. 7. 8. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flames of fire rendring vengeance on those that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Thus you see the whole world lyeth open to the destroying Angel of the justice of God which will pour it self forth to the scorching of the earthly minded with the most dreadfullest of fires 2 Pet. 3. 10. Now that men might escape this dreadful storm which the heavens look black with over the heads of sinners God in mercy hath provided poor sinners which are in their Egyptian state of sin and uncleanness I say he in mercy hath provided them a Lamb to eat which Lamb is his Son Jesus Christ upon eating of which they really escape the hands of the Justice of God John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begoteen Son that whosoever believeth in him should have everlasting life and not perish which Sonne of God is else-where called the Lamb of God John 1. 36. the which whosoever takes and receiveth and eateth in as their food by believing shall live by him and so be free from the destroying Angel John 6. 54. Secondly As to the manner of eating the Lamb we may note
to Christ do arise they all flow from the Priestly office of Christ who wears the Priestly Miter the truth is it s from the Miter upon Christs Head that we draw all our comfort Alas Brethren what comfort could we take in God himself but through Christ and what comfort could we take in Christ but as he wears the Miter upon his Head as our High Priest whatsoever comfort we have in any other office of Christ namely as a King or Prophet it all originated in the Priestly office of Christ the truth is the Priestly office of Christ is an office of meer love and tender compassion set up on purpose for the succour and relief of poor sinners there is no mixture of terrour in this office of Christ there is a mixture of terrour in the other offices of Christ the Lord Christ is King and hath a Kingly office and by it Rules over his Church and Rules over all the world but all do not obtain mercy that he Rules over As for those mine enemies that would not that I should Rule over them bring them forth and slay them before me Luke 19 27. But there is not the least mixture of terrour in this of his Priestly office the Miter shews nothing but grace and love and wonderful compassion infinite bowels of tender love to the sinner a God reconciled in Christ by the sacrifice of himself which was slain for sinners the bloud of which speaks to you better things then the bloud of Abel for the bloud of Abel bespoke sin committed and a guilty soul and an angry God but Christs bloud bespeaks sin remitted and pardoned and a God recorcied again the bloud of Abel spakes for vengeance from under the ground but the bloud of Christ speaks for grace mercy pardon and reconciliation again from under the Altar Abels bloud bespake the sinner under the Curse but Christs bloud speaks him into the blessing again Acts 3. 26. Abels bloud spake the soul at a great distance with God but the bloud of Christ speaks him very nigh God again Eph. 2. 13. But now in Christ Jesus ye that were sometimes afar off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ Use 7. Then soul when ever thou hast to do with Christ view him in his Priestly atire having his Miter upon his Head O thou canst not look upon Christ under a more blessed consideration then this that can afford thee like succour as this will do for this will yield the soul blessed relief against all thy fears and temptations whatsoever the Miter was put upon the Head of Christ on purpose to be looked unto for relief and succour in a time of doubt and danger what was the great relief amongst the Jews against their sins the Jews you may observe they had many reliefs when they were in the wilderness if at any time they were stung with the fiery Serpents then they had their brazen Serpent to look unto as a relief against that distress when they wanted water they had their Rock to make at as a relief against that distress when they wanted bread they had their Manna from heaven as a relief against that distress and if they sinned whether they did go then they took a sacrifice and went unto the Priest and he was to offer for them so that the Priestly office then was the only relief they had against sin So now the Priestly office of Christ is the only relief and succour the people of God have against all temptations doubts and fears under heaven O make much use of the Miter in times of fear look unto it as the Jews were to look to their brazen Serpent upon the pole when stung with Serpents so when ever thou art stung with the Serpent of temptation and guilt and horour and terrour about guilt look up with an eye of faith to this Miter the Crown as I may call it of his Priestly office and thou shalt be healed and cured of all thy stingings so saith Christ himself Isa 45. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Mark look unto me he doth not bid you to look to that unhollowed Bear the Pope who to deceive the poor miserable world of their Estates and Wealth hath feigned a Miter and puts him upon his Head and Bug-bears the world with it as if he were some great one which by the pretended power of his conjuring State and Cross-keys of hell afrights the poor ignorant world into an opinion of some more then ordinary Authority must reside in this Beast for his Cap sake when alas he nothing but Cheats the world by it both of their souls and treasure he is a Limb of the Devil to Cheat men of their souls because he keeps them in ignorance about the Priesthood of Christ and arrogates and assumes that Authority as proper to himself he saith he hath the Miter upon his Head and he is in the Priestly Chair and he can procure pardon with God for sins and he hath the keys of Hell and Death which the holy Ghost only attributes to Christ Rev. 1. 18. And he can open Purgatory and let out of torment and he hath the key of David which the holy Ghost gives only to Christ Rev. 3 7. And he can open heaven and let into glory O horrid Blasphemy What a beast is this and how much to be abandoned by all those that love Christ and their souls how doth he dis-throne and shut out Christ of his great office as a Priest and Saviour 2. He Cheats poor souls of their Estates here because he takes their money of them to save them from sin and to discharge them of some torment and to let them into heaven when he himself shall not escape the vengeance of Christ but shall be for his juggling and deceit tormented in fire and brimstone for ever and ever Rev. 19. 20 21 Where the whole Rabble of that gang shall eternally dwell together And as for others viz. the lesser sort of Popes that imitates the High Priest in his garments with respect to his Cap and Linen Ephod it s a clear denying of Christ to be come in the flesh and John saith these are Anti-christ 1 John 4. 3. For if these garments were Types of Christ then they were only to continue untill the coming of Christ so reasons the Apostle Heb. 10. 1. Who saith that these things were shadows of good things to come but not the very Image and therefore when these good things were come which was the substance then the shadow must give place as no longer of use so saith St. Paul to the Colossians chap. 2. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. Well then if these Ceremonies were only the signs of Christ to come and to give place to him when he did come then what does their present use signifie but that he is not yet come and so as John speaks denyed
Red Sea so will all men unavoidably perish by the guilt of their sinnes without they wade by faith through the red Sea of Christ his Blood 1 John 1. 7. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin Rom. 5. 7. Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Heb. 9. 12. By his own blood he entered once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us so ver 22. Without shedding of blood there is no remission Rev. 1. 5. Who hath loved us and washed us in his own blood from our sins for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us by thy blood unto God out of every kindred tongue nation and people Revel 5. 9. So that this shews us if ever a soul would have deliverance from his sins which dogs him up and down from place to place he must fetch it in from the blood of Christ held out to his soul in the Gospel O my friends you that have the guilt of sin set open to you would you have it washed away and you that have the anger of God and his wrath flaming hot against you would you have it quenched O then fly you in all haste to the bloud of Christ O drink it in by believing and this will give your hearts ease nothing else will do it O look on Christ on the Cross bleeding for you get as near the Cross as you can in your thoughts and strive to get under his wounds and open thy mouth wide and drink thy fill of bloud adding to it this firm perswasion that the worth and efficacy of this bloud will save thee thou maist assure thy self that it will and if ever thou gettest peace into thy troubled soul it will come and must come in this way for that peace which cometh into the soul which came not in by this way of faith will in the end prove the greatest sorrow Isa 50. 11. Sixthly and Lastly The same waters which proved waters of Salvation to the Israelites were waters of Ruine and utter Destruction to the Egyptians Exod. 14. 27 28. It was a full and total Deliverance to the Jews and a full and total Destruction to the Egyptians This leads us to behold the wonderful benefit that those have by the bloud of Christ that wade through it by believing A full Redemption from all their sins at once the Red Sea took off the whole of Pharaohs Army at once not a man left to carry back tidings what became of his fellow so is it a full Redemption that we have by the Red Sea of Christs bloud a Redemption from the guilt of all sin there is not one left to carry back news what is become of the rest all sin past present and to come original sin and actual sin sins of all sorts and sizes publick and private sins sins of Childhood Youth Manhood and Old Age sins committed in all relations conditions and capacities whatsoever yea all sins with all their circumstances John 1. 1. 7. The bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin there is not one of them shall rise up to a souls Condemnation more Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to a man in Christ Jesus who walketh not after the flesh but after the spirit Secondly It is a total salvation it is for ever the Jews were never troubled with that Army more therefore said Moses stand still behold the salvation of God The Egyptians whom you see to day you shall see no more for ever Exod. 14. 13. Such a salvation hath the Elect by the Red sea of Christs bloud it is a Redemption from sin for ever not for a year or two or ten but world without end Therefore saith our Saviour it is eternal life which I give my people and they shall never perish John 10. 28. Jer. 31. 3. I have saith God loved thee with an everlasting love so John 13. 1. Where it s said of Christ having loved his own He loveth them to the end CHAP. 7. The next condition the Children of Israel was in after their Deliverance from the Red Sea was their travelling through the Wilderness IN which we may take notice of these things First Their cross motion up and down sometimes this way and sometimes that ways sometimes towards their good land and sometimes the quite contray way back again Just so are the dealings of God with and in the spirits of the people that although they are fully justified from all their sins by passing through the Red sea of Christs bloud yet the after-dealings of God many times are very various with his people in point of comfort what up and down leading of God many times do poor souls find within themselves Sometimes they are well-nigh Canaan as they hope within them and they can rejoyce under the shinings of Gods love upon their hearts and they come to conclude pretty well of their spiritual conditions when they find their desires to run forth after God and their affections and love to move out after Jesus Christ then the soul takes to himself the wings of joy and begins to mount upwards in the air of comfort But at another time the soul is wholly at a loss and knows not what to conclude of himself or his condition he sees nothing but confusion within all things out of order the soul can feel little affection or love working towards Jesus Christ little heart to duty all the souls zeal is gone from him his courage gone his faith gone his taste and spiritual savour gone and all seems to fail the soul which makes his hope to die within him and to cry out with the Psalmist Psal 73. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth me Insomuch that the soul cannot believe for one days comfort and then the soul concludes that he goeth quite back again even to the borders of Egypt Thus it was with David sometimes he could say the Lord was his shepherd he should not want that he was made to lie down in green pastures and led besides the still waters Psal 23. 1 2. But at another time he is all off his hope and comfort again and crys out his life is spent in grief and his years with sighing his strength fallen because of his iniquity his bones were consumed Psal 31. 10. Again take him at another time and then you shall up upon the hill of comfort again Psal 23. Lasts crying out surely mercy and goodness shall follow me all the days of my life Look you into the 25. Psalm 17. 18. And there you shall see him down on all four again crying out The troubles of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my distresses so in the 27. Ps 3. v. You have him up in the Mount with God again crying out Though an host should encamp against me my heart shall not fear though war arise on every side against me yetiâ—n this will I be confident Look you again into Psal
to the Altar of attonement and satisfaction There be three seasons when a Christian should have special regard to the Altar of satisfaction First In guilt seasons Secondly In doubting seasons Thirdly In corruption-prevailing seasons First In guilty seasons when the heart and conscience comes to be stained with the guilt of sin then is it the souls time to run to the Altar of satisfaction when ever the Jews had any guilt broke out upon them they were to take some offering or other in their hands and a way to the Priest with it that he might hasten to the altar of satisfaction and there make an attonement for them by offering up their offering before the Lord. O so should believers do when guilt breaks forth upon them they should flie by faith to their Gospel Altar of satisfaction and attonement saith John 1. 2. 1. 2. My little children if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous for he is a propitiation in his blood for our sins and not onely for ours but for the sins of the whole world Certainly many a poor soul many times lies longer under trouble of spirit then they need to do were they but well acquainted with this truth that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1. 7. A through acquaintance with and a close application made of this Scripture in doubting times it would wonderfully ease the heart in trouble therefore O troubled soul wouldst thou have thy guilts removed from thy conscience and wouldst thou get thy self into the favour of God again wouldst thou have within in thy soul wouldst thou have the anger of God pacified again whom thou hast offended O then run to the altar of satisfaction take an offering in thy hand go and call upon the Priest and pray him to go into the Tabernacle for thee and there offer upon the Altar of satisfaction thy offering before the Lord I mean take with thee in thy hand of faith the blood merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ and beg him to lay up this upon the Altar of his satisfaction for thee O stand at the Tabernacle door of the throne of grace there call upon thy high Priest Jesus give him no rest day or night until he hath gone in to the Father and made an attonement for thee which done thon mayest assure thy self of that peace of God which passeth all understanding as the Jews in offering what they had to present their High Priest withal might expect a full peace between God and their souls which was obtained by the high Priest for them And you know the obtaining of their peace at Gods hands upon their observing of this rule was very unquestionable so soul in the observation of this rule between thy soul and Christ thou needest doubt of the love and favour of God to thy soul no more then the Jews Secondly A second season when a Christian should have regard to the Altar of satisfaction is in doubting seasons when the Devil shall so far prevail as to discourage the soul from coming to partake of his right to the altar of satisfaction and this the Devil doth oftentimes by telling the soul that the Altar was never set up or prepared for such a vile rebellious wretch as the sinning soul hath been And thus the soul being filled with discouragements is oftentimes almost swallowed up with exceeding grief and despair But let me answer the devil in that soul O Satan thou hast by thy cunning subtle crafty devices deceived many poor souls this way already by which hellish craft thou hast held back many a thousand poor souls from partaking of the priviledges of their Altar Christ bearing them in hand that the Father looks for greater preparations of soul and higher qualifications of heart and life to fit the soul for such a mercy as the Altar Christ is then the soul is yet able to bring with him which design is but to put the soul upon delayes on purpose for his everlasting undoing for he well knows if the soul should stay from Christ until he be fit for Christ the soul never gets Christ to eternity But Satan that thou mayest prevail no more this way upon poor souls I tell thee by the word of the Lord and in the name of my God first of all that the Altar of satisfaction is erected and set up for every comer to it as that let the soul be never so vile unworthy unclean or impure in himself yet he shall be accepted as heartily as ever was Saint in the world if he will but come to the Altar for Satan thou knowest very well though thou thus blindest the eyes of poor souls that the Commission which Christ hath given to all his Ministers is to preach another doctrine in the world then what thoa preachest to men and women which is as follows Isaiah 55. 1 2. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that have no money come ye buy wine and milk without money and without price wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight its self in fatness Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live come unto me and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even ths sure mercies of David so John 7. 37. And Jesus stood and cried it any man thirst let him come to me and drink Matthew 11. 28 29. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and ye shall finde rest to your souls take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easie and my burden is light So Revelations 22. 17. The Spirit saith come and the Bride saith come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely so that the souls coming in a way of believing gives him a real right to the Altar of satisfaction for the altar of satisfaction or attonement was erected for the guilty not for the righteous saith Christ I come not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Therefore the Apostle tells you that the Altar was set up to make reconciliation for sinnes Hebrews 9. 13. But to perswade a soul that he must not come to the Altar until he is so and so qualified and humbled and mortified to sinne is to make void the great excellency of the Altar and to render it of no effect Thus Satan thou labourest by thy subtleties not onely to destroy the soul for ever by keeping it from Christ but also thy next design is wholly to overthrow the glory of Christs sufferings in the whole world Secondly This Altar is so far from expecting such qualifications in the comers to it as that it stands there on purpose to give out these
the Body united to the Head and so he is to be understood as our interceeding High Priest praying to God for us against the evil of death So ver 10. This was done as he was called of God according to the Order of Melchisedeck That is as he is a High Priest for so was Melchisedeck Heb. 7. 1. whose work was to bless Abraham a Member of this Priesthood grace and mercy Gen. 14. therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them therefore saith the Apostle ver 26. Such an High Priest became us And as Christ did pour out his crys and supplications with tears here on earth it was to give Believers a comfortable view and sight of what he is ever doing for them in heaven of which they may assure themselves to the utmost Therefore doth S. Paul so much comfort Believers against all fear of a total miscarriage for it cannot be because Christ as our great High Priest did not only interceed against it on earth by pouring out strong crys and supplications with tears Heb. 5. 7. but he is doing of the same work now he is in heaven with as much fervency of Spirit for us Rom. 8. ver 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather is risen again and sitteth at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us Now that the Intecession Christ makes is a work of prayer which he poureth forth for his people to God evermore as that which the Golden Altar for Incense was a Type of will appear if we consider that place in Rev. 8. 2 3 4. 5. with chap. 1. 13. And I saw the seven Angels which stood before God and to them were given seven Trumpets and another Angel came and stood at the Altar which Angel was Christ having a golden Censer in his hand and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne and the smoak of the Incense which came up with the prayers of the Saints ascending up before God out of the Angels hand Now look into Rev. 1. 13. and you may see who this Angel was And in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks one like unto the Son of men clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle Here you have the Son of man representing himself to John after he ascends up into Glory standing in the garb of the High Priest for so the legal High Priest was attired when he was to administer before the Lord. That so we might understand for our great comfort that he is doing the great work of the Priesthood now in Heaven for his people that are yet without the Tabernacle as to their being in this life even for those that are not entred within the veil of blessed glory and immortality So that you see that Christ is an interceeding High Priest now in heaven pouring out his prevailing prayers to God for his And this is the matter of the work of Intercession Use 1. O then what cause have Believers to bless God for his mercy that there is an Intercessour provided for them that can and will prevaile on their behalf if loud crys and strong supplications attended with many tears will do it O my Brethren this is an inestimable blessed privilege to Believers that they have such an interceeding High Priest as Jesus is who is heard in all things and denied in nothing that he shall request the Father for on the behalf of Believers We use to say that man is happy that hath a Friend in Court to speak if need be on his behalf O but how much more happy are Believers that have a Christ a High Priest in heaven to agitate all their matters and concernments for them there Hence it is that the Psalmist doth affirm that there can be no want to them which fear God Psal 34. 10. And S. Peter wonders who can harm such as be followers of that which is good Pet. 1. 3. 13. And saith S. Paul who can lay any thing to the charge of such and who can condemn such or can separte such from the love of God Rom. 8. 33 34 35. the Reason of all is given you in the 34. ver For we have a High Priest at Gods right hand making Intercession for us Use 2. O then let this blessed Doctrine administer comfort to the people of God at all times in all conditions that they have a High Priest in Heaven interceding for them at Gods right hand O Brethren of whom should Believers be afraid that have such an interceding Priest as Christ is what if all the Tyrants in the world and Devils in hell should set themselves together against the poor Lambs of Christ O fear them not there cannot a hair of your heads fall to the ground O you Saints lift up your heads and be not so fearful of your Adversaries it is your High Priests work in heaven to pray you down deliverance from the hands of Men and Devils Read that comfortable place Exod. 17. 8 9 10 11 12. When Amaleck came out to fight against Israel it s said that all the while that Moses lifted up his hands to God in a way of Prayer and Intercession for Israel Israel prevailed over Amaleck O then shall the liftings up of the hands of a Moses so much prevail for Gods Israel in a time of danger and yet Moses was but a servant Heb. 3. 5 and shall we think that the lifting up of the interceding hands of Christ who is the Son shall not prevail over these Amalekites which Believers stand in doubt of here O Brethren do not dishonour the interceding Office of Jesus Christ your High Priest in giving way so much to your fears Remember what our Saviour spake in his own case the same he can and will do in the case of his people so far as it shall stand with his glory and a Believers good Matth. 26. 53. Think you not and I can pray to my Father and he can give me more then twelve Legions of Angels What work did that Angel make which Christ prayed down for the relief of his Church in the time of their distress Isa 37. 36. How did the Angel scatter in one night that proud Blasphemous Army and shall we think that Christs Prayers have lost their Efficacy through length of time No no he is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. And so in all other exigencies and straits whether in Famine Plague Pestilence or what ever the providence be which may occasion fear Here is a sufficient Balm for the soul in these conditions yea in a word if thou wert brought so low with thy distress as that thou couldst not put up one word