do good or evill unto any one of thy members thou takest it as done unto thy self Discover unto us all our own fins that wee may not be so forward to censure others as wee have been heretofore Give us patience to beare thy Fatherly chastisements which through thy grace sanctifying them to us become both Medicines to cure us and Antidotes to preserve us from the sicknesse of sin considering that all the afflictions of this life are not worthy those joyes which shall be revealed unto us Finally good Father we beseech thee inable us so to walk in thy fear that in mirth we be not vain in knowledg we be not proud in zeal we be not bitter instruct us by thy Word direct us by thy Spirit mollifie us by thy grace humbleus by thy corrections win us by thy benefits reconcile our nature to thy wil teach us so to make profitofevery thing that we may see thee in althings al things in thee And as we are suiters unto thy Majesty for these thy blessings spirituall so likewise we humbly beg at thy mercifull hands all necessaries appertaining to our temporall welfare beseeching thee to blesse us in our persons with health strength and liberty in our estates with sufficiency and the right use of it consâ—…dering that is wee spend what â—…ee And in these our prayers wee are not mindfull of our selves alone but forasmuch as thou hast commanded us to pray one for another as being the members of one and the same mysticall body wee beseech thee to blesse thy whole Church Universall wheresoever dispersed and howsoever  distressed or despised far and wide over the face of the whole earth and vouchsafe unto thy Gospell such a free and effectuall passage that it may sound throughout all Nations Yea wee humbly pray thee let it convert and reclaim the Turks Jews Infidels Indians Atheists Epicures Hereticks and Schismaticks Prevent all plots and projects against the Kingdome of thy Christ let thy Word and Spirit alone bear rule in all places Extend thy tender mercy O Lord to all Protestants beyond the Seas to all Christians under the Turks or other Infidels strengthen all such as suffer for thy cause and let thy presence with them counterpoyse whatsoever is laid upon them and inable them to continue constant in thy faith and truth to the end More Particularly be good unto that part of thy Church planted here amongst us in this sinfull Land and indue us with thy grace as thou hast already with other blessings that they may not rise up hereafter in judgment against us be propitious to the Nobility Gentry and Communalty Blesse the Tribe of Levi all Ministers of thy Word and Sacraments let their lips O God preserve knolewdg and their lives righteousnesse and for ever blesse thou their labours increase the number of those that are saithfull and painfull and reform or remove such as are either scandalous or idle and for a constant and continuall supply of their mortality blesse all Schools of learning and good literature especially the Universities Remember in much mercy all that are afflicted whether in body or in mind or in both whether in conscience have upon our own lusts we may ask but wee shall nor receive in our good names with an 〈◊〉 report and so blesse and sanctifie unto us all the things of thislife that they may be furtherances of us in the way to a better  And seeing that it is in vain for us to labour except thy blessing go along with it neither can our endeavours succeed well except thou prosper them bless every one of us in our several places and callings and so direct us in all we shall take in hand that whatsoever wee do may tend to thy glory the good of others and the comfort of our own soules when wee shall come to make our finall account unto thee sor them groaning under fin or for a good conscience because they will not fin and as thou makest them examples to us so teach us to take example by them and learn wisdome by thy hand upon them  These and all things else which thou knowest we stand in need of we humbly crave at thy mercifull hands and that for the alone worthinesse and satisfaction of thy son and the honour of our onely Redeemer and Advocate Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be given as is most due all praise glory and dominion the residue of this day and for evermore Amen A Praier for the Evening which would be performed before Supper and not when we are more prone to sleep then to pray O Eternal Almighty and incomprehensible Lord God who art great and terrible of most glorious Majesty and infinite purity Creator and Preserver of all things and Guider and Governour of them being created who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence and art every where at hand to receive and hear the praiers of all that repair to thee in thy Christ. Thou hast of thy goodnesse bestowed so many and so great mercies upon us that wee know not how to expresse thy bounty herein Yea we can scarce think of any thing more to pray for but that thou wouldest continue those which thou hast bestowed on us already yet we covet still as though we had nothing and live as if we knew nothing of all this thy beneficence Thy blessings are without number yet our sins strive with them which shall be more if we could count the numberless number of thy Creatures they would not be answerable to the number of thy gifts yet the number of our offences which we return in lieu of them are not much inferiour thereunto Well may we confesse with Judas we have sinned and there stop but we cannot reckon their number nor set forth their nature We are bound to praise thee above any Nation We no sooner lived then we de served to die neither need we any more to condemn us then what we brought into the world with us but thou hast spared us to this hour to try if we would turn unto thee by repentance as our first Parents and wee have turned from thee by sin yet thy mercy seems to have been in vain and thy long-suffering to no end For whereas many have been won by thy Word wee would not suffer it to change us many have been reformed by the Grosse but whatsoever for what Nation under Heaven enjoys so much light or so many blessings as we above any Creature for all the Creatures were ordained for our sakes and yet Heaven Earth and Sea all the Elements all thy Creatures obey thy Word and serve thee as they did at first yea call upon us to serve thee onely men for whom they were all made ingratefully rebell against thee we would not suffer it to purge us many have been moved by thy benefits but we would not suffer them to perswade us yea as if we had contracted with
part of her silver to the Lord but now she hath lost it shee falls a cursing Judg. 17. 1 2 3. Cataline whiles poor had many seeming virtues but having feathered his nest you could hardly say whether he was most lavish of his money or of his modesty But to be equally good in a prosperous and adverse condition deservs praise When our resolution and practice is like that Maids in Plutarch who being set in the Market to be sold when a Chapman askt her Wilt thou be faithful if I buy theeâ—… said Yea that I will though you do not buy me Wee all are never weary of receiving soon weary of attending we are ready to shrink from Christ so soon as our profits or pleasures shrink from us But if with the Needle of the Compasse in the midst of tempestuous weather we remain alwaies unmoveable and staied upon one point it is a signe the Loadstone of the Gospel hath changed our hearts and we are governed by Christ as the Needle is by the North-Pole Wherefore if God should not frame outward things to thy minde do thou frame thy mind to endure with patience and comfort what he sends and this will be an Odour smelling sweet a Sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God yea herein thou shalt approve thy self with David a man after God's own heart and you know that as David was unto God according to his heart so was God unto David according to his CHAP. 40. Application of the former grounds ANd so you have the residue of the grounds of comfort it remains that I should apply them For this Doctrine though it be better understood then practised as Cassandra was better known than trusted yet being both known applied and duly trusted to will like the Sun not onely delight our understandings with its contemplation but also warm and quicken our affections Wherefore is there any weak Christian so whiteâ—…ver'd with Nicodemus that the reproaches and Persecutions which attend his profession make him ashamed of Christ or cause him to think that it is in vain to serve the Lord whereby he is frighted our of the narrow way that leadeth to life Let him draw near for I chiefly direct my speech unto him Are afflictions and persecutions so necessary and profitable as hath been shewed Doth not God onely gain glory by our sufferings but do they also bring us to repentance and amendment of lâ—…fe stir us up to praier wean us from the love of the world keep us alwaies prepared for our enemies assaults discover whether we are sincere or no make us humble improve all Christian graces in us Is God more specially present with us in afflictions Cannot our enemies diminish one hair of our heads without God's special leave and appointment Hath he promised that we shall not be tempted above our strength Are these stripes the chiefest tokens and pledges of God's love and adoption Were none of his children ever exempted from the like And lastly shall our momentany sufferings be rewarded with everlasting glory Yea shall our glory be increased as our sufferings have been more Then let them serve as so many â—…estoratives to thy fainting spirit yea Lift up thy hands which hang down and strengthen thy weak knees Heb. 12. 12. For I suppose thy fainting and drooping is from fear and thy fear from doubting and thy doubting from unbelief and thine unbelief chiefly from ignorance of these things and whence is thine ignorance of these but this Thou hast never been conversant in the book of God or if thou hast thou didst never seriously ponder these Scriptures which have formerly been rehearsed for hadst thou seriously considered them thou wouldst not have dared to make that an occasion of grief and prejudice which the Spirit of God maketh the greatest cause of joy and confirmation that can be For what can be spoken more expresse direct and significant What demonstrations can be given more sollid What Fortifications or Bulwarks so strong and safe agaiest the affronts of Satan and the World Thou saiest thou art persecuted for well-doing and therefore thinkest it a strange thing God saith it is and ever hath been common to all his children not Christ himself excepted Take notice of these things for it is the God of all truth and blessednesse that speaks them and apply them to thy self as if they were particularly spoken to thee by name even as when twenty be in a room where is a fair well-drawn picture every one thinks the picture looâ—… upon him and have not more modestie or manners in leaving those dishes for thy betters than will do thee good Be not like a Monkey which looking in a glasse thinks he sees another Monkeys face and not his own And know withall that it is no small sin even to doubt when we have God's command and warrant to secure us Thou thinkest thy self miserable God saith thou art blessed Thou saiest thou art hated of the world God saith thou art beloved of Christ who hath chosen thee out of the world Thou thinkest it a shame to be reproached God saith It is thy glory Thou grievest at it God saith thou hast great cause to rejoice for it sheweth thee to be born of God thine enemies to be the seed of the Serpent Thou saiest that all things go crosse with thee God saith That all things shall work together for the best it may be the increase of thy temporal happinesse however that it shall bee for the improvement of thy graces here for the advancement of thy glory hereafter Thou thinkest it a sign of displeasure God saith it is to thy Enemies a token of perdition but to thee of salvation Thou thinkest thy self near forsaken God saith The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon thee Thou saiest thou shalt one day perish God saith that neither things present nor things to come shall ever be able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thou thinkest the Lord doth not hear thee because he doth not presently answer thee in the things that thou requirest I tell thee it were ill jor the best of us if we were permitted to be our own choosers Let Peter have his desire and his Master shall not die so Peter himself and the whole world had been lost In unfit supplications we are most heard when we are repelled our God often times doth answer our praiers with merciful denials and most blesseth us in crossing our desires We may ask either bad things to a good purpose or good things to a bad purpose or good things to a good purpose but in an ill season Now if we ask what is either unfit to receive or unlawful to beg it is a great favour of our God to be denied granting is not alwaies the effect of love if so then had Paul been lesse loved then Satan Satan begg'd but once and had his paier granted concerning Job S. Paul begg'd thrice that he might not
there is oâ—… ingredient that sweetens them all the promise of God I will bee with thee introuble and deliver thee Psal. 91. 15. And thoâ—… shalt not bee tempted above thy strength 1 Cor. 10. 13. Again fear not for when thou passest through the water I will bee with thee and through the floods that they do not over-flow thee When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not bee butnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Isa. 43. 1 2. Lo here are promises like Flaggons of Wine to comfort the distressed soul. Wherefore as Caesar said to the trembling Marriner Bee not afraid for thou carriest Caesar so O Christian bee not afraid for hee that is in thee for thee with thee that guides thee that will save thee is the invincible King Jehova And upon this ground David was so comforted and refreshed in his soul Psal. 94. 19. that hee was able to say Though I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evill Why For thou art with mee thy Rod and thy Staffe shall comfort mee Psal. 23. 4. Yea our Enemies can no sooner assault us with their tongues but God come in to our rescue If yee bee railed upon for the name of Christ saith Saint Peter blessed are yee for the Spirit of God resteth upon you 1 Pet. 4. 14. God is never so much injoyed of us as when we are in the deep with David Psal. 130. 1. and when wee are worst of all bestead with Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. 12. When did Jacob see a Vision of Angels but when hee fled for his life making the cold earth his bed and a stone his pillow or when was his heart so full of joy as now that his head lay hardest When was Paul wrapp'd into the third heaven to hear words from Christ not fit to bee uttered 2 Cor. 12. 2. 4. but as some of the learned conceive when hee was bereaved of his sight Stephen saw great happiness by Christ in his peace but under that shower of stones hee saw heaven it self open Act. 7. When wee are slain all the day long for his sake with the Martyrs then wee are given to see him with our eyes as Job did who till that time had onely heard of him by the hearing of the ear Then wee come to know that the Lord hee is God with Manasses 2 Chron. 33. 13. and that he is our hope and strength and refuge and a very present help in troubles ready to bee found of all that seek to him 2 Chron. 15. 4. 15. Psal 9. 9 10 and 46. 1. The Israelites never fared so well as when they lived at Gods immediate finding and at night expected their morrows break-fast from the clouds When they did daily ask and daily receive their daily hread Yea even when they were wandering in a forlorn wilderness how did God as it were attend upon them in their distress to supply their wants They have no guide therefore God himself goes before them in a piller of fire they have no shelter the Lord spreads a Cloud over them for a Canopy are they at a stand and want way the Sea shall part and give them passage do they lack bread Heaven it self shall power down the food of Angels have they no meat to their bread a wind shall send them innumerable Quails do they yet want drink behold a hard rock smitten with a little wand shall powr them out water in abundance have they no supply of Apparell their Garments shall not wax old on their backs bee their Enemies too strong for them for want of Engines the Walls of Jericho shall fall down before them are their enemies yet too many and potent hail-stones shall fall and brain them Lamps Pitchers and Dreams shall get them Victory the Sun shall stand still in Gibeon and the Moon in the valley of Ajalon lack they yet a Land to inhabite the Lord will cast out all the inhabitants and give them a Land which flows with milk and honey c. Afflictions have this advantage that they occasion God to shew that mercy to us whereof the prosperous are uncapable as wee further see in Hagar Gen. 21. 17 18 19. And Manoah's Wife Judg. 13. 3. to whom the Angel of the Covenant had not been sent if they had not been in distress It would not become a mother to bee so indulgent to an healthfull child ss to a sick and in deed some have found their outward castigations so sweetned with the inward consolations of Gods Spirit that they have sonud and confessed their receipts of joy and comfort to bee an hundred sold more than their payments even in this present life according to that promise of our Saviour Mark 10. 29 30. So that a Christian is still a gainer in all his losses yea hee gains by his losses Now if wee could but remember and lay to heart these promises thus back'd with examples when wee feel the greatest assaults or pangs how could wee want courage But alass most of us are like the Prophets servant 2 King 6. who saw his foes but not his friends we are like Josephs brethren who saw him converst with him were fed by him yet knew him not Like Peter who when the Angell brought him out of prison and went before him wist not that it was so but thought hee saw a vision Act. 12. 9. Christ at his Resurrection was so changed that his own Disciples knew him not much more since his ascention may hee pass by us as hee did by Job Chap. 9. 11. or meet us as hee did Saul in the way to Damascus or walk and talk with us as hee did with the two Disciples in the way to Emaus Luk. 24. 16. or stand by us while wee are seeking him as hee did by Mary in the Garden Joh. 20. 1â—… and yet wee bee ignorant that it is hee Yea hee may bee in us by his spirit even whil'st wee seel him not Jacob saw him both asleep and awake yet saith hee the Lord was in this place and I was not aware of it Gen. 28 16. at least wee are apt to thinke that God is removed from us when wee any way suffer calamity as the Israelites do but want water and presently they cry Is the Lord among us or no Exod. 17. 7. as if God could not bee with them and they a thirst either hee must humour carnall minds or bee distrusted But both his presence and love is the same in adversity as it is in prosperity our sence onely makes the difference even as a Church Castle or Town is unmoveable and keepeth one place though to us it may seem somtime on our right hand other while on our left as wee change our standing sitting or walking Yet if some unusuall crosses disturb our peace presently there breaks out a voice mix'd with murâ—…uring and despair God hath forsaken us It was a common complainâ—… with David The Lord hath forsaken us thou
it by some neglect or oversight there was an English man left behinde but how did God provide for his escape it's worth the remembring hee was no sooner crept into a hole under a pair of stairs but instantly a Spider weavs a web over the hole and this diverted them for when one of them said here is surely some of them hid another replyes What a fool art thou doest thou not see it 's covered with a firm cob-web and so past him that in the night hee ascaped O! Saviour our extremities are the seasons of thy aid even when Faux was giving sire to the match that should have given fire to the Powder which should have blown up Men and Monuments even the whole State together thou that never sleepest didst prevent him and disclose the whole design yea thou didst turn our intended Funerall into a Festivall And why doth the goodness of our God pick out the most needfull times for our relief and comfort but because our extremities drive us to him that is omnipotent there is no fear no danger but in our own insensibleness but because when wee are forsaken of all succours and hopes wee are fittest for his redress and never are wee nearer to help than when wee despair of help but because our extremities give him the most glory and our comfort is the greater when the deliverance is seen before it is expected His wisdom knows when aid will bee most seasonable most welcome which hee then loves to give when hee finds us left of all other props That mercifull hand is reserved for a dead list and then hee falls us not as when Abraham had given Isaac and Isaac had given himself for dead then God interposeth himself When the knife is falling upon his throat then then coms the deliverance by an Angell calling forbidding commending him When things are desperate then look most for God's help for then is the time Psal. 119. 126. Isa. 33. 9. 10. And indeed our faith is most commendable in the last act it is no praise to hold out untill wee bee hard driven but when wee are forsaken of means then to live by faith in our God is thought worthy of a Crown O! wretched Saul hadst thou held out never so little longer without offering and without distrust Samuel had come and thou hadst kept the favour of God whereas now for thy unbelief thou art cast off for ever 1 Sam. 13. 10. to 15. To shut up all in a word were thy soul in such a straight as Israel was between the Red Sea and the Egyptians the spirits of vengeance like those enemies pursuing thee behindo Hell and death like that Read Sea ready to ingulf thee before yet would I speak to thee in the confidence of Moses Exod. 14. ver 13. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Thy Word O! God made all thy Word shall repair all hence all yee diffident fears hee whom I trust is omnipotent Again Secondly thou must know that God in his wisdome hath set down a certain period of time within which hee will exercise his children more or less and at the end whereof and not before hee will relleve and comfort them again As wee may perceive by Eccles. 3. 1. Act. 7. 25. Exod. 12. 41. Gen. 15. 13. Dan. 12. 1. 4. 11. Jer. 25. 11. Gen. 6. 3. Four hundred years hee appointed to Abraham and his seed that they should bee Sojourners in a strange land where they should bee kept in bondage and evill intreated Gen. 15. At the end of which time even the self same day they returned from the land of Egypt that was the precise time appointed and the selfsame day it was accomplish'd and till then Moses undertook it in vain Why were they so long kept from it the land was their own before they were the right heirs to it lineally descended from him who was the first possessor of it after the flood God will do all in due time that is in his time not in ours if at any time the Lord deliver us it is more than hee owes us Let him saith Saint Augustine choose his own opportunity that so freely grants the mercy Again hee appointed that the Jews should serve the King of Babylon seventy years not a day not an hour to bee abated Jer 25. 11. but at the end thereof even that very night Dan. 9. it was accomplished neither did Daniel who knew the determinate time once pray for deliverance till just upon the expiration Thirty eight years hee appointed the sick man at Bethesda's Pool Joh. 5. 5. Eighteen years to that daughter of Abraham whom Christ loosed from her disease Luk. 13. 16. Twelve years to the woman with the bloody issue Matth. 9. 20. Three months to Moses Exod. 2. 2. Ten days tribulation to the Angell of the Church of Smyâ—…na Apocal. 2. 10. Three days plague to David 2 Sam. 24. 13. Each of these groaned for a time under the like burden as thou doest But when their time which God had appointed was come they were delivered from all their miseries troubles and calamities and so likewise ere long if thou wilt patiently tarry the Lord's leasure thou shalt also bee delivered from thy affliction and sorrow either in the Morning of thy trouble with David Psal. 30. 5. or at the Noon of thy life with Job Chap. 42. 10 to 17. or toward the Evening with Mr Glover that holy Martyr who could have no comfortable feeling till hee came to the sight of the stake but then hee cryed out and clap'd his hands for joy to his friend saying O! Austin hee is come hee is come meaning the feeling joy of faith and the Holy Ghost Acts and monuments Fol. 1555. Or at night with Lazarus at one hour or another thou art sure to bee delivered as time will determine Many were the troubles of Abraham but the Lord delivered him out of all Many were the troubles of David but the Lord delivered him out of all Many were the troubles of Joseph but the Lord delivered him out of all Many were the troubles of Job but the Lord delivered him out of all therefore hee can and will deliver thee out of all But if hee do not saith Shadrach Meshach and Abednego yet wee will not do evill to escape danger because Christ hath suffered more for us therefore if I perish I perish saith Hester Bee our troubles many in number strange in nature heavy in measure much in â—…urthen and long in continuance yet God's mercies are more numerous his wisdom more wondrous his power more miraculous he will deliver us out of all Many are the troubles of the righteous Yea hee riseth higher and calls them millions for so the words may bee rendered but the Lord delivereth them out of all Psal. 34. 19. How many or how great soever they bee or how long soever they continue yet an end they shall all have For the Lord either taketh troubles from them or
enough withoâ—… him Luk. 1. 53. Matth. 15. 24. And yet it is strange yea a wonder to see how many truly humbled sinners who have so tender conscienceâ—… that they dare not yield to the least evill for the worlds goods and refuse no means of being made better turn every 〈◊〉 into reprobation every dejection into rejection and if they bee cast down they cry out they are cast away who may fitly bee compared to Arâ—…emon in Plutarch who when ever hee went abroad had his Iervants to carry a Canopy over his head least the heavens should fall and crush him or to a certain foolish melancholly Bird which as some tell stands always but upon one leg least her own weight should sink her into the Center of the Earth holding the other over her head least the Heavens should fall Yet bee not offended I cannot think the worse of thee for good is that fear which hinders us from evill acts and makes us the more circumspect And God hath his end in it who would have the sins to dye but the sinner to live Yea in some respect thou art the better to bee thought of or at least the less to bee feared for this thy fear for no man so truly loves as hee that fears to offend as Salvianus gloâ—…es upon those words Blossed is 〈◊〉 man that feareth alway And which is worth the observing this fear iâ—… a commendation often remembred in holy Scripture as a speciall and infallible mark of God's Children as for example Iob saith the holy Ghost was a just man and one that feared God Job 1. 1. Simeon a just many and one that feared God Luk 2. 25. Corneâ—…us a devout man and one that feared God Acts 10. 2. And so of Father Abraham a man that feared God Gen. 22. 12. Ioseph a man who feared God Gen. 42. 18. The Mid-wives in Egypt feared God Exod. 1. 17. So that evermore the fearing of God as being the beginning of wisdom is mentioned as the 〈◊〉 note which is as much as to say if the fearing of God once go before working of righteousness will instantly follow after according to that of the wise man Hee that feareth the Lord will do good And this for thy comfort when Mary Magdalen sorrowed and wept for her sins Luke 7 50. Christ tells her Thy faith hath made the whole intimating that this weeping this repenting saith is faith indeed And the like to the Woman with the bloody issue who presuming but to touch the hem of his garment fell down before him with fear and trembling Mark 5. 27 to 35. And that humble Canaaniâ—…e Matth 15. 22. to 29. And that importunate blind man Luke 18. 38. to 43. As if this humble this praying saith were onely the saving faith Neither can thy estate bee bad for as Saint Ambrose told Monica weeping for her seduced Son Fieri non potest ut filius istarum lachrymarum pereat It cannot bee that the son of those tears should ever perish Wherefore lift up thy self thou timorous fainting heart and do not suspect every spot for a plague token do not dye of a meer conceit for as the end of all motion is rest so the end of all thy troubles shall bee peace even where the days are perpetiall Sabbaths and the diet undisturbed feasts But as an empty vessell bung'd up close though you throw it in to the mid'st of the Sea will receive no water so all pleas are in vain to them that are deas'ned with their own fears for as Mary would not bee comforted with the â—…ight and speech of Angels no not with the sight and speech of Jesus himself till hee made her know that hee was Jesus so untill the holy Spirit sprinkleth the conscience with the blood of Christ and sheddeth his love into the heart nothing will do No creature can take off wrath from the conscience but hee that set it on Wherefore the God of peace give you the peace of God which passeth all understanding Yea O Lord speak thou Musick to the wounded conscience Thunder to the feared that thy justice may reclaim the one thy mercy relieve the other and thy favour comfort us all with peace and salvation in Jesus Christ. Section 8. But secondly if this will not satisfie call to thy remembrance the time past and how it hath been with thee formerly as David did in thy very case Psalm 77. 2. to 12. And likewise Joh Chapter 13. for as still waters represent any object in their bottome clearly so those that are troubled or agitated do it but dimly and imperfectly But if ever thou hadst true faith begotten in thy heart Joh. 1. 13. by the ministry of the Word Romans 10. 17. Jam. 1. 18. 21. and the Spirits powerfull working with it Joh. 3 3 5 8. whereby thine heart was drawn to take Christ and apply him a Saviour to thine own soul so that then wert forced to go out of thy self and rely wholly and onely on his merits and that it further manifested it self by working a hatred of sin and an apparent change in thy whole life by dying unto sin and living unto righteousness and that thou hast not since returned to thine old sins like the Dog to his vomit if it hath somtime brought forth in thee the sweet friat of heavenly and spirituall joy if it hath purified thine heart in some measure from noysome lusts and affections as secret pride self-love hypocrisie carnall confidence wrath malice and the like so that the spirit within thee fighteth against the flesh If thou canst now say I love the godly because they are godly 1 Joh. 3. 14. and hast an hungring after Christ and after a greater measure of heavenly and spirituall graces and more lively tokens of his love and favour communicated unto thee My soul for thine thou hast given false evidence against thy self for as in a gloomy day there is so much light whereby wee may know it to bee day and not â—…ight so there is something in a Christian under a cloud whereby hee may bee discerned to bee a true beleever and not an hypocrite But to make it manifest to thy self that thou art so Know first that where there is any one grace in truth there is every one in their measure If thou art sure thou hast love I am sure thou hast faith for they are as inseparable as fire and heat life and motion the root and the sap the Sun and its light and so of other graces Or dost thou feel that Christ is thy greatest joy sin thy greatest sorrow that when thou canst not feel the presence of the spirit in thy heart thou goest mourning notwithstanding all other comforts Assuredly as that holy Martyr said if thou were not a wedding Child thou couldest never so heartily mourn for the absence of the Bridegroom Thus I might go on but a few Grapes will shew that the Plant is a Vine and not a Thorn Take but notice of this
this our gracious King and Redeemer prevent his poor miserable subjects with his grace in giving before they had the grace to ask or more then they desired The sick of the Palsie asking but cure of his disease received not onely that but the remission of his sins also Matth. 9. Zacheus desired but to see his face he became his guest and gave him salvation to boot Luk. 19. The Woman of Samaria requested but elementary and common water hee offered unto her the water of life Joh. 4. The people followed him to bee fed by miracle with corporall food hee offered unto them the bread of life Joh. 7. The poor blind man desired but his bodily sight Christ illuminated the eye of his soul Joh. 9. Neither hath honours changed manners with him as is usuall amongst men for hee is a God immutable in goodness and without change or shadow of turning Jam. 1 17. so that if thou speak hee will hear and answer thy suit in supporting thee so that thou shalt bee sure to persevere and hold out unto the end Section 11. Object But I have no evidence of divine assistance nor can I pray for it to purpose Answ. Wee have the presence of Gods Spirit and grace many times and feel it not yea when we complain for want of iâ—… as Pilate asked Christ what was truth when the truth stood before him The stomach findes the best digestion even in sleep when wee least perceive it and whiles wee are most awake this power worketh in us either to further strength or disease without our knowledge of what is done within and on the other side that man is most dangerously sick in whom nature decays without his feeling without his complaint To know our selvs happy is good but woe were to us Christians if wee could not bee happy and â—…now it not As touching Praier every one is not so happy as Steven was to bee most servent when they are most in pain yea many in time of sickness by reason of the extremity of pain can hardly pray at all whence Saint James wisheth us in affliction to pray our selvs but in case of sickness to send for the Elders that they may as those in the Gospell offer up the sick person to God in their praiers beeing unable to present their own case Jam. 5. 13. 14. 15. Yea it were miserable for the best Christian if all his former Praiers and Meditations did not serve to aid him in his last straights and meet together in the Center of his extremity yielding though not sensible relief yet secret benefit to the soul whereas the worldly man in this case having not layed up for this hour hath no comfort from God or from others or from himself Besides thou art happy in this there is not the poorest and meanest of Gods Children but as hee hath the benefit of Christs intercession in heaven Rom. 8. 34. Joh. 16. 26. so hath hee also the benefit of the Praiers of all the Saints on Earth wee have the graces and gifts each of other in common Yet because thine own Praier is most proper and seeing it is the miâ—…des Embassadour to God and never saileth of success if it bee fervent as if our prayers want success they want heart their blessing is according to their vigor pray that thou mayest pray better If thy Leg bee benumâ—…d go upon it a little and it will come to it self again To which if thou â—…in fasting thou shalt do well for prayers are made sat with fasting as Tertullian speaks Yea pray â—…ft though thy prayers bee the shorter weak stomâ—…s which cannot digest large meals seed oft and little O! saith holy Bernard most sweetly How oft hast thou meaning praier sound â—…ee lamenting and despairing and lest mee rejoycing and triumphing And what though thou canst not powr out thy soul in a flood of words The Woman diseased with an issue of blood said but within her self shee did not speak to bee heard of others and yet Christ heard her and answered her request Matth 9. 21. 22. The Lord esteemeth the will for the deed and the affection for the action Man sees the countenance God the heart man the deeds but God the meaning Hast thou but thoughts and desires and canst thou onely express them with sighs and groans these speechless words or rather no words but a few poor thoughts conceived aright pass all the flowing eloquence of Demosthenes and Tully yea Tertullus and all the Orators that ever were in the world for this matter is not expressed with words but with groanings and these groanings are from the blessed Spirit A Father delights more in the stammering of his little Child than in the eloquence of the best Orator Neither is hearty prayer in our own power but it is the gift of God which at somtimes in plentifull measure hee bestoweth upon his children and at other times again hee pulleth back his liberall hand that by the want thereof wee may leern â—…o ascribe the glory and praise of this grace to the giver who worketh in us the will and the deed which praise otherwise in pride of heart wee would arrogate unto our selvs as beeing in our own power Also that wee may more highly esteem it and with more joy and diligence use it when we have it bestowed on us If it bee asked why God reckons so highly of a sew sighs and groans and why the prayers of the faithfull are so powerfull it is because they bee not ours but the intercession of Gods own Spirit in us powred out in the name of Christ his own Son in whom hee is ever well pleased for as for us wee know not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it solf maketh request for us with sighs which cannot bee expressed Rom. 8. 26. It is the Spirit whereby wee cry Abba Father ver 15. Gal. 4. 6. Now if thou wouldest have the Spirits assistance and bee heard of God when thou makest supplication to him do not as too many do fall into prayer without preparation and utter a number of words without devotion or affection for no marvell if we ask and miss when we thus ask amiss Jam. 4. 3. Neither do as Children which never look after their Arrow but like Daniel Dan. 9. take notice of thine inlargements in prayer and of thy success after Nor onely pray and no more for to pray and to do nothing else is in effect to do nothing less But let your Prayers be ushered in by Meditation and attend by zealous devotion and then beleeving that you shâ—…ll receie whatsoever you ask in Christs name and according to his will 1 John 5. 14. John 16. 23. God will bee sure to give you that you desire 1 John 5. 14. 15. Mark 11. 23. 24. or that which is better for you Deut. 34. 4 5. And suppose thou art not presently heard yet continue asking stil as Peter continued knocking till the door was opened
in our Baptism when we took his presse-mony to be his Souldiers and serve him in the field of this world against his and our enemies that we have renounced our vow made â—…o him â—…dd fled from his standard yea fought for Satan and the World seeking to win all we could from Christ by tempting to sin and by persecuting such as were better then ourselves so that all our recompence of thy love unto us hath been to do that which thou hatest and to hate those whom thou lovest Yea we cannot deny but we have persecuted thee with Paul denied thee with Peter betraied thee with Judas and crucified thee with those cruel Jews And as wee have committed one sinne on the neck of another so we have multiplyed and many times repeated them by falling often into the same wickednesse whereby our sinnes are become for number as the sands of the Sea and as the Stars of Heaven Now Lord it being thus with us how can we expect that thou shouldest hear our praiers grant our requests yea how can wee look for other at thine hands then great and grievous yea then double damnation as most justly we have deserved Yet  Yet most most merciful Father being that thou hast given thy Son and thy Son himself for the ransome of so many as shall truly repent and unfainedly believ in him who hath for our sakes fulfilled all righteousness yet suffered on the Crosse and there made full satisfaction for the sins of all thine Elect. And seeing thou hast appointed Praier as one special means for the obtaining of thy grace unto which thou hast annexed this comfortable promise that where two or three be gathered together in thy Name thou wilt be in the midst of them and grant their requests and since our Redeemet hath assured 〈◊〉 that And likewise knowing that mercie pleaseath thee and that the sole perfection of a Christian is the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and the not-imputation of his own unrighteousnesse whatsoever we shall ask thee in his name thou wilt give it us  We are emboldened to sue unto thee our God for grace that we may be able to repent and believe Wherefore for thy promise sake for thy Sons sake and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee send down thy holy Spirit into our souls regenerate our hearts change and purifie our natures subdue our reason rectifie our judgments strengthen our wills renew our affections put a stop to our madding and straying fancies beat down in us whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Jesus Christ and enable us in some measure both to withstand that which is evil and perform that which is good and pleasing in thy sight Yea give us repentance never to be repented of and possess our souls with such a dreadfull awe of thy Majesty that we may fear as well to commit small sins as great ones considering that the least sin is mortall without our repentance thy mercy as wel fear to sin in secret as openly since there is nothing hid from thee as well condemne our selves for evill thoughts as evill deeds considering that the Law is spirituall binding the heart no lesse then the hands as well abstain from the occasions of fin as sin it self and consider that it is not enough to abstain from evill unlesse wee hate it also and do the contrary good And because every day which does not abate of our reckoning will increase it and that by procrastinating we shall but heap unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath Good Lord suffer us not we beseech thee to defer our repentance lest the custome of evill makes it altogether unalterable in us or lest we dye before we begin to live or lest thou resusest to hear us another day calling upon thee for mercy because we refuse to hear thee now calling to us for repentance And now O Lord since thou hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day we beseech the to defend and dierct us in the same and as thou hast blest us in our lying down and in our rising up so protect prosper us in our going forth in our coming home shield and deliver us from the snares of the Hunter who lieth in waite for our souls and is continually labouring our everlasting destruction And no lesse arm us against the allurements of the world wherein we shall meet with many provocations and temptations and that 〈◊〉 may not lead ourselvs nor be Wherefore if we be not yet converted let this be the happy hour of our conversion that as our bodies are risen by thy power and providence from sleep so our soules may daily bee raised from the sleep of sin and the darknesse of this world that so we may enjoy that everlasting light which thou hast prepared for thine and purchased with the bloud of thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.  Give unto us we beseech thee a true lively and justifying faith whereby we may lay hold upon those gracious promises which thou hast made unto us in him and wherewith we may vanquish all our spirituall adversaries Seal up unto us the assurance of our salvation by the testimony of thy blessed Spirit Give to led into temtation give us wisdome to beware of men even of associating our selves with the vitious like Joseph lest otherwise with David we be drawn to dissemble or with Peter to deny thee for sin is of a catching and infectious quality and our corrupt hearts are like tinder which will kindle with the least spark especially O Lord keep us from yeelding to their solicitations or following their customs of drink ing swearing slandering and making the worst construction of thinâ—…s of mocking and scoffing at religion or the religious let not custome and example any whit prevail with us without or against thy written Word lest we misse of the narrow way which alone leadeth unto life onely give us wisedome and grace to look upon thy Sons whole life see how he would speak and do before we speak or do anything then having thy word for our warrant and thy glory for our aime let no censures not flowts of anydiscourageus us thy servants that wisdome which descendeth from above that we may be wise unto our eternall salvation so shall our hearts instead of a Commentary help us to understand the Scriptures and our lives be an Exposition of the inward man Give us grace to account all things in this world even as drosse and dung that we may win Christ Jesus and Heaven and happinesse by means of him Give us single hearts and spirits without guile that wee may love goodnesse for it self and more seek the power of godlinesse then the shew of it and love the godly for thy sake and because they are godly Grant that in the whole course of our lives we may doe unto all others as we would that they should doe unto us considering that whether we
of thy goodnesse and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee take away our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh enable us to repent what we have done and never more to do what we have once repented not fostering any one sin in our souls Reform and change our minds wills and affections which we have corrupted remove all impediments which hinder us from serving of thee and direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to thy glory as thou hast directed our eternal salvation thereunto Let not Satan any longer prevail in causing us to defer our repentance since we know that late repentance is seldom sincere and that sicknesse is no fit time for so And because infidelitie is the bitter root of all wickednesse and a lively faith the true mother of all grace and goodnesse nor are wee Christians indeed except we imitate Christ and square our lives according to the rule of thy Word Give us that faith which manifesteth it self by a godly life which purifieth the heart worketh by love and sanctifieth the whole man throughout Yea since if our faith be true and great a work as many have found that are now in Hell Neither is it reasonable thou shouldest accept of our feeble and decrepit old age when we have spent all the flower and strength of our youth in serving of Satan not once minding to leave sin until sin left us saving it can no more be severed from unfained repentance and sanctification then life can be without motion or the sun without light give us spiritual wisdom to try and examine our selvs whether we be in the faith or not that so we may not be deluded with opinion onely as thousands are Yea O Lord give us firmly to resolve speedily to begin and continually to persevere in doing and suffering thine holy will Inform and reform us so that we may neither mis-believe nor mis-live subdue our lusts to our wills submit our wills to reason our reason to faith our faith our reason our wills our selvs to thy blessed Word and Will Dispell the thick mists and clouds of our sins which corrupt our souls and darken our understandings separate them from us which would separate us from thee Yea remove them out of thy sight also we most humbly beseech thee as far as the East is from the West and in the merits of thy Son pardon and forgive us all those evils which either in thought word or deed we have this day or any time heretofore committed against thee whether they be the sins of our youth or of our age of omission or commission whether committed of ignorance of knowledge or against conscience and the many checks and motions of thy holy â—…pirit Discover unto us the emptinesse vanity and insufficiencie of the things here below to do our poor souls the least good that so we may be induced to set an higher price upon Jesus Christ who is the life of our lives and the soul of our souls considering that if we have him wee want nothing if we want him wee have nothing And now O Lord seeing thâ—… time approacheth which thou hast appointed for rest and because wee can neither wake nor sleep without thee who hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our souls and bodies beseeching thee to watch over us this night and preserve Finally O Lord give unto us and increase in us all spiritual graces inlighten our minds with the knowledge of thy truth and inflame our hearts with the love of whatsoever iâ—… good that we may esteem it our meat and drink to do thy blessed will Give us religious thoughts godly desires zealous affections holy endeavours assured perswasions of faith stedfast waiting through hope constancy in suffering through patience and hearty rejoicing from love regenerate our minds purifie our natures turn all our joies into the joy of the Holy Ghost and all our peace into the peace of conscience and all our fears into the fear of sin that we may love righteousnesse with as great good will as ever we loved wickednesse and go before others in thankfulnesse towards thee as far as thou goest in mercy towards us before them  Give us victory in temptation patience in sicknesse contentment in poverty joy in distresse hope in us from all our spiritual and bodily enemies from thievs fire and from all other dangers troubles confidence in the hour of death give us alwaies to think and meditate of the hour of death the day of judgment the joies of heaven and the pains of hell together with the ransome which thy Son paid to redeem us from the one and to purchase for us the other so shall neither thy benefits nor thy chastisements nor thy Word return ineffectual but accomplish that for which they were sent until we be wholly renewed to the image of thy Son These things we humbly beg at thy fatherly hands and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy divine wisdome to be needful and necessary for our souls or bodies or estates or names or friends or the whole Church better then we ourselvs can either ask or think and that for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for thy mercies sake for thy Sons sake who suffered for sin and sinned not and whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our unrighteousnesse in him it is that we come unto thee in him we call upon thee who is our Redeemer our Preserver and our Saviour to whom with Thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most due all honour glory praise power might majesty dominion and hearty thanksgiving the rest of this night following and for evermore Amen A Praier to be used at any time O Almighty Eternall most Glorious and onely wise God giver to them which want comforter of them which suffer and forgiver of them that repent whom truly to know is everlasting life Wee thy poor creatures acknowledge and confess unto thee who knowest the secrets and desires of all hearts that of our selvs we are not worthy to lift up our eyes to heaven much less to present our selves before thy Majesty with the least confidence that thou shouldest hear our praiers or accept of our services but rather that thou shouldest take these our confessions and accordingly condemne us to the lowest place in Hell for our continually we have used all our wisedom to commit the foolishness of sin our whole conversation hath been to serv Satan and fulfill the lusts of the flesh Wee even suck in iniquity like water and draw on sin as it were with cart-ropes  Neither is there any part power function or faculty either of our souls abusing thy mercy and those many means of grace which in â—…hy long suffering thou hast affoarded for our reclaiming Wee are the cursed seed of rebellious Parents wee were conceived in sin and born the children of wrath And whereas thou mightest have executed thy fierce displeasure upon us