respectiva good in reference to certain ends somtimes by accident they make the possessor worse and sometimes the deniall of an outward mercy makes way for a greater and so oftentimes it comes to passe that negando accipimus we receive a mercy in Gods deniall we may have the end of our prayer in the deniall of the forme Howsoever yet the prayers of Gods people are the proper remedy to save a stiffe-necked people that will not repent it is all that can be done for them For first it is the most effectuall meanes to appease the wrath of 1 Sam. 25. 24. 32. God and to stay him from destroying as Abigails humble entreaty prevailed with David Secondly it is certaine that if prayer like Noahs Dove be sent forth it shall never returne without an Olive branch either with tidings of an abatement of the generall deluge for the common good or at least it shall returne with much comfort and peace into your petitioner bosome Psal 35. 19. And thirdly as nothing without it can save such a stiffe-necked Nation so if any thing will doe it the prayers of Gods people will and therefore the effectuall prayers of Gods people should be procured in a time of danger as the Mariners did Jonahs Jon. 1. 6. in the storme and the Ninivites cried mightily when their City Jon. 3. 9. was in danger though but upon this ground Who knoweth what the Lord may doe Outward meanes indeed are not to be neglected as we must not idolize the meanes in trusting in them so neither tempt God in neglecting of them Sometimes indeed the Lord will doe the worke by his own immediate 2 Chro. 20. 17. hand then the people are to stand stil and see the salvation of God But ordinarily the arme of the Lord workes by the hand of Moses Isa 63. 12. all that is in our power must be done by us our Saviour told his Disciples that howsoever whiles he was personally present with them he did miraculously provide for their sustentation Luke 22. 36. and protection without scrip or sword and they found no want of these meanes yet after his ascension they must use ordinary meanes a scrip and a sword must be procured yea then a sword more necessary then a coat sell thy coat and buy a sword In saving Jon. 1. 6. vers 5. 13. the Ship in that tempest in the first of Jonah as they were praying and crying to the Deity for helpe so they spared neither cost nor paines to helpe themselves they rowed hard vers 5. and threw out their goods vers 15. And when enraged Esau came Hos 12. 4. Gen. 32. c. 34. 1. with an army against his brother Jacob and his family as Jacob wrastled with God by his teares and prayers so withall he used prudent and submissive endeavours for a pacification There must be a concurrence of three things to make prayer effectuall to save a Nation from ruine 1. The persons praying must be holy men such as Moses was for first such only can pray in a spirituall manner as having the spirituall gift of prayer culinary fire is in every house but the element of fire is so rare that it is a question whether there be any such thing existent or no so the naturall gift of prayer is very common that is such a praying faculty as a naturall man may acquire or have by naturall meanes as quicknesse of wit strength of memory elocution and exercise in the word and prayer But spirituall prayer the breathing up of holy and spirituall desires whether for outward or spirituall mercies yet alwayes for spirituall ends this fire comes from Heaven this spirituall gift of prayer comes from the Spirit of grace that doth disponere and excitare giving Zac. 12. 10. both the habit and the act of prayer the power to pray and actuates that power it brings into the soule the fuell of holy desires and enkindles them also and sets then a burning Secondly as holy men onely can pray in a spirituall manner so their prayers onely are prevalent for in a sense they are the prayers of Rom. 8. 27. Christ indited by his Spirit put up in his name and presented by his mediation so that when such men pray Christ in his members praies and prevailes 2. They must be such prayers as Moses his prayers were earnest Vers 10 11 12 13. strivings and wrastlings with God First from an heart touched with a deepe sense of our wants we should offer up prayers and supplications with strong cries and Heb. 5 7. Rom. 8. 26. teares as our Saviour did in the dayes of his flesh with sighs and groanes unutterable earnest ejaculations like darts shot up to Heaven out of an affectionate heart our spirits in their desires like Noahs Arke should rise the higher as the waters grow deeper and the flouds greater so we finde that Christ prayed the more earnestly when in that bitter agony formall cold prayers like Luke 22. 36. Caesars hartlesse Sacrifice will not profit us nor finde acceptance with God painted fire as it hath no heate so it is of no use it is an argument that we disesteeme and undervalue a mercy when we conceive such cold prayers to be fit meanes to procure it Secondly our prayers must be argumentative persuasive entreaties pressing the Lord with arguments we must plead with God and reason the matter with him by reverent expostulations the Lord is well pleased to be reasoned withall by such as are reformed Isa 1. 16. 17. and washed especially in his owne language indeed we can plead nothing that is in us to move the Lord to mercy but what is in his nature his Christ his promises we have many examples of this kinde of prayer in Scripture as it is acceptable to God so very prevalent with him as here we finde that Moses thus prayed and prevailed vers 14. Exod. 32. 14. Thirdly as Moses in his so we in our prayers should not only strive against the present outward judgement but especially against the power and guilt of sinne that cause the judgement so did Moses here as we see vers 31 32. he confesseth and bewaileth Ex. 32. 31 32. their sinne and cries unto the Lord for pardon of it that so the Nation might be every whit whole We ought not onely to Ioh. 7. 23. strive against the plague without but against the plague of the heart not onely against warres and contentions but against pride 1 King 8. 38. covetousnesse ambition and such other lusts of the heart from Iam. 4. 1. Prov. 13. 10. whence they come We should not onely as Chirurgions looke at the outward wound of the Kingdome and seeke the cure of that by outward applications but like the Physitian looke into the causes of these evils and labour to procure a remedy for those inward distempers whence the outward doe spring If we have not
graine of his Wheate shall be lost g Amos 9. 8 9. he will either keepe them out of the furnace or preserve them in it hee will either save them from the judgement it selfe or from the evill of it that it shall not hurt them one way or other he wil be an hiding place a Isay 32. 2. Isay 8. 14. and a Sanctuary to his own servants as here he promiseth to save his servant Moses so this unchangeable God with whom is no respect of persons wil doubtlesse doe the like for them Thirdly he will not onely save their persons but also recompence their losses if Moses lose his principalitie God will give him another it shall be the raysing not the overthrow of his house if any of Gods servants shall with Amaziah be troubled for losse of their offices lands revennues or mony as hee for his hundred talents c 2 Chro. 25. 9. the answer of the man of God may satisfie him Is not the Lord able to give thee more then this First for losses voluntary have you willingly laid out much for Christ in the service of the Church and State remember how God dealt with Abraham d Heb. 11. 8. he in obedience to God and for his sake left his native country all he had and yet was no loser for the Lord recompenced his losse and gave him a better for it Secondly for losses castigatory consider how God dealt with Job he was plundered by the Chaldeans at one time and by the Sabeans at another even quite undone yet the Lord raised him up to a greater estate then ever e Job 42. 1◠Vse Now therefore Gods people have cause to bee well contented to suffer with patience the spoyling of their goods not only upon this ground that they shall have in heaven a better and an enduring substance f Heb. 10. 34 But also even in this life they shal have an hundred fold g Marke 10. 30. Not onely that which is equivalent in spirituall graces but also even in outward things so farre as shall bee for their spirituall good They shall be no losers as our Saviour promiseth that in all the troubles that were to come upon the world they should not be an haire the worser h Luk. 21. 12 The rivers emptie themselves into the Sea and the Sea fils all their channels againe and so will the Lord returne backe whatsoever his servants lay out upon him nay they shall be gainers they scatter and are the more encreased i Prov. 11. 24. Now wee are come to the last point The Lords intimation of the remedy let me alone that c. which how howsoever it seemeth to be a prevention of Moses his mediation yet as Augustine Non pracipiendo sed monendo et exprimendo quid illum a supplicio revocet Aug. in Exo. q. 149. well observes the words doe not carry in them a prohibition of Moses praying but an intimation of the remedy that would stay his hand from destroying and an indirect incouragement to the use of this remedy of prayer for them whetting his desires and blowing backe the flame to make it burne the faster and this use Moses made of it for in the next Verse wee finde him earnestly praying and mediating for them so that from hence this truth naturally ariseth Doctr. 6 That the fervent prayers of Gods people are the most effectuall meanes to save a stiff-necked people from present ruine This here the Lord intimates and the event proved it so for upon the earnest prayer of Moses we finde Verse 14. that the Lord changed his minde from the evill he intended against them a Exod. 32. 14. and which he had brought upon them had not Moses stood in the gap b Psal 106. 23. We reade that the prayers of the Church did great things on the behalfe of Peter c Act. 12. 5 6 c. brake open the prison doores made his chaines fall off made the Iron gate flie open of its owne accord and so removed all obstacles that might hinder his enlargement I confes here were the prayers of many for one so the lesse wōder but we may reade of Jacob d Hos 12. 4. that when his brother came against him with an army he alone by his prayers and teares so prevailed with God that he obtained a glorious victory not conquering the Army but overcomming his brothers heart that all ended in Gen. 32. 24. 33 4. brotherly complements expressions of love in a sweet agreement We finde one Lot prevailing for a whole Citie f Gen. 19. 20. and Abraham for five Cities g Gen. 18. 32. and Deborah by her prayers trode downe the Churches enemies h Jud. 5. 21. And if fasting and prayer will cast out Devils why not the Churches enemies i Mat. 17. 21 and if the prayer of faith will save a sicke person from the naturall death k Iam. 5. 15. why not a sicke dying State from a civill death And yet howsoever the prayers of Gods people are effectuall meanes yet have we no certaine assurance that they shall actually save such a stiffe-necked people from ruine and therefore we finde the promises made to encourage men to seeke the Lord in a time of publike danger for such a people to be set downe in a doubtfull manner with an if in respect of the contingencie of the event if God will thinke upon us that we perish not l Jona 1. 6. and who knoweth if God will turne from his fierce wrath that we perish not m Jona 3. 9. Jo. 2. 14. For first their prayers may be so faulty in the manner that they may become vaine and fruitlesse performances n Isa 1. 13. and Saint James tels us that oftentimes the cause why men are not successefull in their designes is either because they sought not God by prayer or failed in the manner Yee have not because yee aske amisse o Iam. 4 2 3. Or secondly the sinnes of a Nation may be so great in themselves and so aggravated and the Lord so wearied in repenting p Ier. 15. 6. in often calling backe his anger and reversing his sentence that had gone out against them that he peremptorily resolves to repent no more yea though Daniel Noah and Joab though holy men should entreat for them yet shall they save but their owne soules q Ezek. 14. 14 Or thirdly the safety of a Nation is but a temporall blessing though a great one and we have no absolute promise to obtaine them by our prayers indeed spirituall mercies are bona absoluta and bona bonum habentem facientia they are ever good to him that hath them and therefore we have an absolute promise to speed in our Mat. 7. 11. Luke 11. 13. prayers for them he will never deny things truly good to them that aske But outward blessings are only bona
as anon I shall more clearely shew In the meane time consider of another distinction and it runs thus Prayer is to bee considered and is availeable 3. wayes 1. As it is a Petition put up to God and so it availes 3. Distinct via impetrationis by way of impetration 2. As it is an exercise of the soule and of the graces in it whether common or saving and so it availes via causationis by way of causation 3. As it is a commanded dutie and a principall part of Gods service wherein wee give God the glory of his omniscience mercy power and wisedome and so it availes via retributionis by way of retribution Indeed the benefits which God bestoweth upon men in reference to their workes whether formally good or materially onely are properly called Gods gifts as comming from him by free donation and are tearmed rewards not properly but onely analogically as being given secundum non propter opera not for but onely according to our workes a Rom. 2. 5. In the fourth place Prayer being taken as a meanes of procuring spirituall and outward blessings Is to be considered two wayes First in the naturall use and so it is a naturall 4. Distinct mans meanes Secondly in the spirituall use and so it is a spirituall mans meanes Media or meanes are so called because in the midst betweene can and can not God hath appointed us in the use of such meanes as we can to seeke to him for what we can not Now a spirituall mans meanes is praying in faith in a spirituall manner that is appointed him to use as meanes for procurement of what he wants But a naturall mans meanes appointed him to use as meanes is not praying in faith in a spirituall manner for that hee cannot doe but the naturall worke of prayer onely such prayer as a naturall man can use Flying in the ayre is not a mans meanes of comming to a place that is a Birds meanes but going or riding is a mans meanes spirituall prayer is a holy mans meanes naturall praying is the meanes of a naturall man Indeed the spirituall use of prayer is enjoyned as a dutie which though he cannot performe yet ought he to desire and labour after onely the naturall worke of prayer is required of him as a meanes of procurement of what he wants Now a naturall man though he be not sure to speed yet ought he to waite for God in the way of his judgements a Isay 26. 8. his ordinances are his walke wherein often he is and possibly may bee found and therefore such meanes are to be used even of naturall men as we may see Ezek. 36. where the Lord having promised justification sanctification and withall divers outward blessings at last hee Ezek. 36. 37. addes Vers 37. Yet I will be sought unto that I may doe it unto them and therefore Daniel 9. c Dan. 4. 13. Hos 5. 4. complaines that they did not so much as pray that they might turne unto God Indeed spirituall prayer is conditio subsequenâ— and followes our conversion but the naturall worke of prayer is conditio antecedens and may and ought to goe before it And for the efficacie of a naturall mans prayer I shall endeavour presently to shew it in my answer to the first question propounded concerning the efficacie of the prayers of wicked men My answer to that first question I present unto you thus 1. Quest First Prayer considered as a dutie must be performed even of wicked men as being good in it selfe though by accident turned into sinne d Psal 107. 7 and howsoever not being made in faith it cannot please God e Heb. 11. 6. in such sort as holy mens doe yet being good for the substance of the dutie giving God the glory of sundry of his attributes it may perhaps availe for procurement of a temporall blessing by way of retribution as the Pharisees prayers had thereward of mens praises a Matth 6. 5. And so Ahabs humiliation and the Ninivites repentance procured a delay of temporall judgements Secondly a wicked mans prayer considered as an exercise of the soule and of some common graces that are in it and especially argumentative prayer may perhaps availe through the helpe of Gods spirit by way of causation bringing his soule into a better frame and so making it capable of spirituall and outward blessings But thirdly a wicked mans prayer considered as a petition put up to God we cannot say it will availe by way of impetration 1. Sort. Indeed there are two sorts of wicked men First such as do what they can in breaking off the outward practise of sinne and doe carefully performe the naturall worke of prayer and doe what a naturall man can in the use of meanes howsoever they cannot ground their hopes of prevailing upon any promise and so upon Gods faithfulnesse as being out of Christ and therefore cannot pray with assurance of prevailing yet they may ground their hope of prevailing upon the mercy of a gracious God wayting on God in the way of his ordinances in hope that God in mercy will doe something for poore creatures Who knoweth what God may doe The Ninivites went upon this ground and it fell out happily the Citie was spared There is a second sort of wicked men that securely live in their 2. Sort. sinnes following the sway of their lusts and continuing in actuall rebellion against him yet in their extremitie doe cry unto the Lord for succour as for these the Lord threatens that though they cryed earnestly to God b Mic. 3. 4. and were frequent in the use of prayer making many prayers c Isay 1. 15 16. yet the Lord will not heare them he will throw away their petitions as being an abomination unto him d Prov. 28 9 For answer to the second question how farre forth the prayer 2. Quest of some may bee availeable for others especially being absent I say 1. Sometimes the thing prayed for is not meerely anothers 1. Case and that in two cases First love may so unite the heart of one to the other that like Hippocrates Twins they laugh and weepe together and sympathize each in others condition that in succouring the one mercy is shewed to both Secondly they may bee sharers in the same ship as Jonah and the passengers with him or as members of the same Commonwealth in a common danger all in the same condition stand or fall togther in this case also hee that prayes against a publique calamitie or for a publique benefit prayes for himselfe as well as for others and so necessarily many reape the fruit of the prayers of some 2. In case the prayer be meerely for others then first by way 2. Case of causation the prayer of some cannot profit others that are absent for in the production of effects there must be betweene the Contactus realis vel virtualis
agent and the object a reall or at least a virtuall closing Nor secondly the prayer of some cannot profit others by way of retribution whether absent or present for every one shall reape the fruite of his owne worke But thirdly the prayer of some may prevaile for others though absent by way of impetration Either first in respect of the prevalency of importunity set forth in that parable of the Widowes a Luke 18. 5. 7. overcomming the unjust judge Luke 18. 5. 7. or else secondly upon Gods purpose and promise of good unto others upon condition of his servants prayers it being the Lords will that the prayers of his servants should give vent to his mercies that they may flow from God as water from a full spring upon the thirsty ground as also it being the Lords purpose to grace his servants in gratifying great Kings and Kingdomes upon their prayers as hee did Abimelecb upon the prayer of Abraham b Gen. 20. 7. 17. and Pharaoh and his kingdome upon the prayer of Moses c Exod. 8. 28. 29. Now the prayers that are usefull for the saving of a Nation from ruine are of two sorts First the prayers of the Nation it selfe Secondly of Gods owne people for the nation First the prayers of the nation it selfe which also are two-fold first of the representative body of a nation for as the proper acts of those organs which by natures deputation are appointed for performance of those Acts for the good of the whole body as namely of the eye in seeing the tongue in speaking the eare in hearing c. the acts I say of those parts are the Acts of the whole man a Totus homo videt c. non totum hominis so the acts of the representative body of a nation not onely acts civill but sacred even their heart breaking and repenting prayers offered up for a nation in the name of the whole and that with their if not actuall yet virtuall consent surely these acts interpretatively are the acts of the nation and therefore in and by them the nation prayeth Secondly the prayers of the essentiall body of a nation when a kingdome in all its parts if not all or the most men in it Vniversally yet generally all sorts of all degrees in all places like the Kingdome of Nineveh upon the preaching of Jonah and command of authoritie b John 3. 5. 6 7. 10. shall be up in prayer fasting weeping reforming and crying unto the Lord there were then great hope of an happy issue because the nation prayeth Now these nationall humiliations and prayers as the Lord prescribes them as meanes to save a nation Isa 22. 12. So have they Isay 22. 12. 2 Chro. 20. Jonah 3. beene alwayes performed with great successe as wee see in the Ninivites Jehoshaphat and others The second sort of prayers availeable for the procurement of a nations safetie are the prayers of Gods own faithfull people for the nation for though they are very few yet their prayers are exceeding prevalent for that purpose as hath beene shewed in so much that it is noted as a wonder that seldome happens that the prayers of Daniel Noah and Job such holy men should availe but for the safetie of their owne lives d Ezek. 14. 20. Now their prayers are two wayes considerable either as the petitioners are First dispersed in sundry places Secondly congregated in assemblies First as they are scattered here and there throughout the kingdome and so though divided in place yet as lines from every part of the circumference round about doe all meet in the center and as Starres every where round in the heavens doe meet in their influences and worke strongly on the earth so the heartie prayers of Gods people from all parts of the Kingdome agreeing in the same request with one heart doe all meete at the throne of grace and worke strongly there Secondly the prayers of holy men are considerable as they are conjoyned in congregations with one heart and mouth to seeke the Lord for a nation for as a bundle of stickes being cast on the fire one sticke sets another a burning untill all 's on a flame and as Saul among the prophets prophesied also a 1 Sam. 19. 23. so in a congregation the zeale of some provokes many and sets their hearts a burning surely the prayers of a Congregation are most prevalent for if the prayer of one righteous man availes much b Jam. 5. 1â— and a three-fold cord not easily broken united strength the joynt prayers of many must needs be much more effectuall if when two or three godly men shall agree upon a request and send up their joynt petition to heaven it shall be granted as our Saviour hath promised c Matth. 18. 19. how much more shall the joynt petition of hundreds of holy men in a Congregation Object But you will object indeed If our Congregations did consist onely of Saints their prayers would be very prevalent but alas it is otherwise with us Answ I answer that it is true that the prayers of such a Congregation is exceeding prevalent And yet we finde Joel 2. and Jona 3. that in a time of publike danger they should gather a Congregation Joel 2. 15 16. and call an Assembly of all sorts and ages yea sucking children not Jon. 3. 5. 7. excluded to seeke the Lord and at Ninive we finde that even the brute creatures did beare a part in the Fast For howsoever as hath beene shewed onely Gods servants can ground their hopes upon a promise yet all that stand not in open rebellion against God can ground their hopes upon the mercie of a gracious God as the Ninivites did Yea brute creatures and poore babes that cannot put up a formall prayer yet their moane and cry as being all lost in the common calamity may move the Lord to mercy as we have shewed and we accordingly finde that the moane of the one hundred and Jon. 4. 11. twenty thousand infants of Ninive yea of the cattle did much move the Lord to pitie From this Doctrine we may inferre two corollaries First when the Lord intends to save a Nation he drawes up Corol. 1. the hearts at least of his owne people to seeke it as when he intends a shower to the earth he drawes up the vapours and fils his bottles so when he intends to refresh a people with a shower of mercies he not onely gives to a competent number the spirit of prayer but draweth out their hearts in the actuall performance of Ier. 29. 10. 12 13 14. the duty As we may see Jer. 29. by comparing the 10. 12 13 14. verses together that when the time approached which the Lord intended for the deliverance of his Church out of captivity then he caused the earnest prayers of his people to fall in as the meanes to effect it then saith the text shall they pray and cry
to the Lord with all their hearts and thereupon the Lord was found of them and turned away their captivity Secondly when the Lord intends to destroy a people he so carrieth Corol. 2. things about in his providence that his peoples prayers shall be wanting We finde Jer. 7. that when the Lord by an irrevocable Ier. 7. 14 15 16. decree had determined the destruction of the Jewish State he prohibits his Prophets praying for them Where there is upon good ground a totall despaire of a thing there will yea and ought to be a totall recesse and falling off from use of meanes to effect a thing in it selfe and in our apprehension not feceable And therefore the Creators decree being either by the event or by his revelation made certainly knowne the creature must submit the Prophet though his heart was much set upon that State Ier. 13. 17. yet must not struggle against the knowne will of God Now howsoever we have no such prohibition the Lords decree being hidden from us so long as a Nation hath being we ought not to cease praying yet when the Lord intendeth the ruine of a Nation either the Lord takes away his Lots into his mountaine and leaves not any considerable number of holy men morally none not a man to stand in the gap or he takes off the hearts of his people Ezek. 22. 30. Ion. 1. 6. Luke 18. 1. and suffers them as he did Jonah to be asleepe when the Ship is in greatest danger or he lets the spirits of his people fall as being discouraged or weary or withdrawes the breathings of his Spirit in their hearts and so prayer being gone the gap is open the judgement breakes in upon a Nation And now for Use and Application Use 1 1. This Doctrine teacheth us that in a warre that side which hath the prayers of Gods people hath a great advantage their prayers set up or pull downe a side it is not the falling in of the great multitude with swords and speares though yet this God useth as a meanes but the unfained falling in of Gods people with their prayers and teares that turnes the scale a few Jacobs wrastling with God can doe more then a thousand of others and spirituall weapons can doe more then naturall Luther was wont to call the prayers of Gods people his great Ordnance and a praying people are the horsemen and the Chariots of Israel In that famous battell against the Amalekites the prayers Exod. 17. 11. of Moses gave a sensible advantage to Israels side and indeed the victory The bringing of the Arke into the host put courage into 1 Sam. 4. 5. 7 8 the Israelites in so much that they shouted for joy but it struck a terrour into the Philistims they cryed O woe unto us God is come into the host effectuall prayers bring God into an army and carries him along with them fighting for them against their enemies When Jonathan and his Armor-bearer were to set upon the Garrison 1 Sam. 14. 6. of the Philistims Jonathan went upon this ground that the successe of a warre or a battell depended not principally upon multitude of men but upon Gods cooperating with them we are indeed the weaker side saith he but it is no matter for that if God worketh with us now we finde vers 45. he wrought with Verse 45. God doing his worke in a dependance upon him and you see Vers 14 15 16 what a great victory the Lord gave him Use 2 Secondly this Doctrine discovers unto us that such as doe oppose and seeke to hinder the prayers of Gods people for a Nation are enemies unto it for though perhaps ex intentione agentis they seeke not intentionally therein the Kingdomes ruine yet exnatura rei they doe that which in its nature tends that way they do with Sampson endeavour to pull away the Pillars that doe uphold the State they open the breaches and seeke the removall of them that stand in the gap and so let in the wrath of God into our Land Psal 106. 23. Ezek. 22. 30. As the Pelican in seeking to blow out the fire kindled about her young ones with her wings the flame thereby was increased her wings burnt and so became a prey so these that by their persecution of Gods people and by their evill speeches doe seeke to blow out this flame of zealous prayer in the Land by their opposition that fire will increase and they procure their owne ruine For fire shall goe out of the witnesses mouths and consume Revel 11. 5. their adversaries Vse 3 In the third place it affords us a caveat to beware that we doe not marre this engine in the using Prayer is indeed of great use and of singular efficacie to save a Nation in a time of danger provided we use it not amisse as Saint James speaketh When Iam. 4. 3. men make many prayers and yet their hands full of bloud when they Isa 1. 15. Hos 7. 14. Ier. 3 4 5. houle and cry and yet rebell against God they pray and yet grow worse and worse thus an effectuall meanes of saving a Nation is marred in the using and prayer to such a people like the Arke among the Philistims provokes the Lords anger and doth a people more 1 Sam. 6. hurt then good We finde in Isa 58. that the people sought the Lord by a daily use of his ordinances they drew neare to God by Isa 58. an outward performance of them in hearing in fasting and praying as if they had beene the most righteous Nation in the world vers 2. And they complaine and expostulate with God as if he Vers 2. had not dealt well with them in not regarding their Fasts vers 3. Vers 3. Now therefore the Lord answers it 's true fasting is a service that I require as a most effectuall meanes of safety in a time of danger But saith he Is this the Fast that I have chosen to hang Vers 4. 5. the head like a bulrush with an outward shew of humiliation whiles the guste of Gods wrath is over to hang the head and the heart not dejected to pinch your bodies and feede your lusts to fast to strife and debate and smite with the fist of wickednesse to fast and pray and yet live in strife and oppression surely such Vers 4. Vers 6. 7. prayers will never be heard above But saith the Lord verse 6 7. Fast and pray as yee ought to doe as the Lord hath prescribed not so much with rent garments with outward shewes though even Jo. 2. 13 this ought to be likewise but come before the Lord with rent and wounded hearts and broken bleeding spirits for your owne sinnes and the sinnes of the Land and with an unfained purpose of breaking off of your owne and others sinnes by a through reformation both personall and nationall And then vers 8 9 10 Vers 8 9
10 yee shall soone have a gracious answer to your prayers from the Lord and prosperity shall come like light after darknesse as the morning after a sad darke night of adversity yea the Almighty Job 29. 4. shall shine upon your Tabernacles as in former times Now therefore the same caveat which our Saviour gives for hearing let me Luke 8. 18. givee for praying Take heed how yee pray Vse 4 In the fourth place the consideration of the premisses may shew us what to thinke of the present condition of our Kingdome and how the Lord intends to deale with us If we looke upon the face of the Kingdome we cannot deny but the wickednesse of the Land is very great the sinnes great in themselves universally spread many wayes aggravated and people hardened by the refusall of grace offered in the meanes and so like the Israelites a stiffenecked people which is ground of feare But then withall it cannot be denied but that still we are the Lords flocke a true visible Church having the true Religion professed among us and that we have many of the true servants of God among us for whose sake we have cause to hope that the Lord will spare the Nation Againe we have indeed the forme of godlinesse among us and doe draw neare to God in praying hearing fasting and in the use of all the ordinances as if we were a most righteous Nation which is matter of comfort But withall there is a generall want of the power the soule and the life of godlinesse they pray and fast and yet their hands full of bloud they pray and yet grow worse and worse this is matter of feare Indeed our Ship is in jeopardy the winds and waves very strong upon it and some holy men though I hope not many not affected with it no more then Jonah in the storme the Amalekites are many and strong our enemies that are risen up against us are many and extreamly enraged which is matter of feare But then we know they are Gods enemies as well as ours and we have many holy men every where like Moses mediating and interceding for us as Moses for Israel like Abraham putting up prayer after prayer as he for sinfull Sodome and with Jacob wrastling day and night with the Lord for us which is ground of comfort So that like Nabuchadnezzars image we stand upon feete part of iron and part of clay staggering betweene hope and feare we doe not certainly know what the Lord will doe But for our comfort we finde that the prayers of Moses reversed the Lords sentence gone out then against stiffenecked Israel and we hope the like prayers may prevaile for sinfull England Vse 5 The fifth and last is a Use of exhortation which is three-fold 1. Part. 1. To all men whatsoever to stirre them up to a twofold duty First that by true repentance they would gather themselves to seeke the Lord that they would labour to get into such a condition that they might be able to doe some good to themselves and others by their prayers First the Kingdome is in danger and hath need of good mens prayers perhaps there may want five Gen. 18. Ezek. â—â— 30. of the Lords number perhaps there may want but a man to stand in the gap a few may turne the scale If not yet secondly thou shalt save thine owne soule at least thy prayer shall be with much comfort returned into thine owne bosome whereas if we doe not get into a praying condition What will yee doe in the day of destruction Psal 35. 13. whither will yee flie and with whom will yee leave your glory there Isa 10. 3. is no creature on earth to fly unto or in whose hands we can safely deposite any thing that is deare unto us now when we have no friends on earth to have God an enemy too to have our hearts shut up that we cannot pray and heaven also that we cannot prevaile surely this condition is wofull Now therefore we should labour for the Kingdomes sake and our owne to get into a praying condition But if you will not be perswaded to this yet secondly bee intreated at least thus farre by all loving and respectfull usage to give encouragement to holy men to be much in prayer for the Land the Persians were wont to give divine honour to the Sunne not so much because it was so glorious a creature but because an instrument of so much good to the world all creatures by its light influence being preserved and refreshed though we doe not deifie the publike instruments of good to Church or State yet good reason we should love and honour them and especially those that are the servants of the most high God who are a blessing in the middest of the earth they have power to doe great things as being the friends Act. 16. 2. Isa 19. 29 Isa 41. 8. Hos 12. 3. of God and having a prevailing power with God And therefore seeing their prayers like the prayers of Moses are so usefull to the Church of God good reason all should endeavour with Aaron and Hurr to keepe up their hearts and hands in prayer The second part of the exhortation is unto Gods owne servants earnestly to exhort them as Mordecai did Esther a Esth 4. 8. to 2. Part. goe to the King of heaven as hee to King Ahashuerosh and make petition and supplication before him for themselves and the kingdome So the Prophet Zephaniah b Zeph. 2. 3. finding little hope of prevailing in his exhortation to repentance in the two first Verses at the third Verse he addresseth himselfe to Gods owne people and exhorteth them to seeke the Lord that if they could not prevaile for the land that yet themselvs might be hid in the day of the Lords wrath as you can see further into the kingdomes danger then others by Prov. 22. 3. 2 Sam. 24. 16. an eye of faith seeing the sword stretched out over our Jerusalem ready to destroy it so also you are neere to the Lord and have more interest in him than Esther had with that Persian King you have the gift of prayer you have this powerfull engine to effect great things and shall there be a price in your hands and not an heart to Prov. 17. 16. Isa 62. 6 7. use it God forbid Therefore give mee leave to extend the Prophet Isays exhortation Isay 62. 6. 7. principally intended to the Lords watchmen unto all Gods people all yee that are mindfull of the Lord whether watchmen or people keepe not silence give the Lord no rest bee instant with him day and night for Ion. 1. 6. our Jerusalem and as the Shipmaster awakened Jonah checked him for his securitie when the ship was in danger and prest him to call upon the Lord for the common safetie so our ship being in the like danger let me exhort you to the same dutie and presse my exhortation with the same argument even earnestly to call upon God if so be that the Lord will thinke upon us that wee perish not and that you would entreat and plead with God for England as Moses here did for Israel The third part is to you my Lords and Gentlemen of the Parliament 3. Part. As the Lord hath raised you up above your brethren and as it were with Moses set you with him upon the Mount so my humble request unto you is that you will labour to bee holy as Moses was fit to come neare the Lord and to speake unto him And then like Moses to be deepely affected with your owne and Israels sinnes and earnestly to entreate and pleade with God for that people whom you represent As the Lord hath made you glorious creatures like Starres shining in your Orbes so withall he hath appointed that by your prayers and endeavours you should be in continuall motion night and day to communicate light and influence to the lower world The Lord hath raised you up above us as the Sunne the Clouds not to roule over our heads by Lordly preheminence but to refresh the dry earth below with fruitfull showers you have your praeesse propter prodesse as the Schoolemen speake God hath furnished you with abundance of this worlds goods as he hath filled the mothers breasts with milke not for her owne sake if shee keepes it up it is her owne hurt but to impart it to hungry babes that need it Unworthy great ones are like meteors when they are raised up though they carry a great luster yet are they ominous dismall signes of approaching evills they shine a while and vanish in a stinke of ignominie But great men should bee like the higher spheares as they guide the lower and sway them in their motions so should they imbrace and carry them in their bosomes and by their prayers and best endeavours seeke to procure the peoples good that they may worthily carry the name of patres patriae the fathers lovers and protectors of their country And so like Deborah the hearts of the people shall be towards the governours of Israel a Jud. 5. 9. they will love serve and honour you whiles you live and after death as your soules shall live in heaven so your names on earth and be had in everlasting remembrance b Psal 112. 6 FINIS