pray against them to have them restrain'd and subdu'd Many a weak and aged and sickly one unfit for warre and yet powerful in prayer And these weapons of our warfare they are not carnal but mighty You can't encounter an enemy I but you may thus wrastle with the Almighty You can't batter down a strong hold but yet ye can besiege the throne of grace with concentred abilities You are not fit to be set in a Watch-tower to spy out the approach of an enemie but yet you may watch unto prayer And this is a great advantage that Christians have over their enemies The enemy knows not how to pray they know how to curse and swear and blaspheme the name of God but they know not how to pray Or if they do pray and tell their prayers with their beads that they may know the number of them yet their prayer is turn'd into fin The prayer of the wicked is an abomination Let them cry aloud to their Idols and see if they will hear them they can't look that God should hear them For If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer O then let Christians know their own happinesse and make use of this spirituall weapon of prayer that opposes the enemy more then all other weapons whatsoever Let them brandish the glittering sword c. And this is the chief use you are to make of all the news you hear to know how to order your prayers accordingly No question more ordinary in mens mouth then what news And I finde no fault with the question it is good and fitting But news are not to be enquired after only for the satisfying of mens mindes and curiosity as the Athenians spent all their time in enquiring for some news But this is the main end of it to know how to send up your prayers for the good of the Church and your praises for such mercies as God bestowes upon it All news heard by a publick spirit will stir up prayer or thanksgiving This is the use you are to make of news if sad news of the Churches misery and desolation then send up more fervent prayer that God would repaire the breaches of it and settle it in a flourishing condition if welcome news then praise God for his free goodnesse and desire him to perfect the great work which he has begun This is one special means to promote the publick good the prayer of the righteous And God alwayes when he intends any great mercy he poures upon his people a spirit of prayer he stirres up their hearts in this way he opens their mouth wide before he fills it 2. Self-Reformation This has great influence upon the publick good And how can you expect a publick and glorious Reformation unlesse first you reforme in private Look upon the grievances of your own soul hearken unto those many petitions that are put up to you by the Ministers who beseech you to be reconcil'd unto God Every sin addes to wrath it provokes God pulls down his judgements and ripens a Nation for destruction and has a malignant and venemous influence upon the whole So then the turning from sin and reforming your wayes is the means to divert judgements to bring down mercies and bring down publick good If there were more private Reformations in mens spirits there is no doubt but God would blesse the publick Reformation Sinne puts more rubs in the way then any enemy or opposer whatsoever This is the great Mountain that hinders the going up of the Temple if this one were but took away all other would quickly become a plain They are very injurious to the publick good that go on in a course of sinning against so gracious a God that do's such great things for us One sinner destroyes much good as the wise man speaks 3. Vnited spirits and a sweet harmony of Affections graciously consorting together would help forward the cause of Israel Jarres and dissensions amongst Christians themselves sound very harshly For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart What is there can give greater advantage to an enemy then to see Israelites fall out amongst themselves You may learn more wisdome of them that are wiser in their generation then the children of light what a strait union and confederacy have they among themselves Gebal and Ammon and Ama'ek the Philistines with them that dwell at Tyre These scales of Leviathan as that in Job is usually allegoriz'd are shut together as with a close seale And if they should be at variance and discord among themselves yet they have a sure way of reconciliation by a joynt opposition of the godly Ephraim against Manesseh and Manasseh against Ephraim both against Judah Herod and Pilate made friends in crucifying Christ If wicked men can agree in opposing of goodnesse why should not Christians in helping forward goodnesse All ye that come out to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the Mighty come with united hearts and agreeing spirits Why should there be strife between you seeing you are Brethren And then consider What will not united forces do when you shall joyn to the work of the Lord with one consent with one shoulder What is it that this union won't bring to passe It will strike terrour to the Churches enemies and strengthen the hearts of friends It will mightily promote the publick goood and tend to the glory of Ierusalem If men would but lay out themselves and their several gifts and abilities in one general aime for the advantage of their Master and good of their fellow-servants what glorious times should we then see This is one clause in the Protestation to stand for the union of the three Kingdomes 4. I might adde that with outward aide too you are bound to promote the publick good with liberal contribution to relieve the necessity of the Christians as the Church of Macedonia gave above her abilities And also such as by authority shall be sent forth against the Popish-Rebells they are to fight with courage and alacrity for 't is for the cause of God They come out to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the Mighty And now for a word of Application It is for the just reproof of most men that minde not at all the publick good How do they think to avoide the curse of Meroz seeing they come not out to the help of the Lord c. There is a principle of corrupt self-love in men that makes them of narrow and contracted spirits All their aimes are for themselves and their own ends they do not minde the good of the Church If they hear but of a worldy losse some ship cast away and their estate be weaken'd this will pierce and affect their spirits 't will sad and darken their joy But they can hear of ruines of the Church the breaches of Sion that the Church has many rollings and commotions and
and breath for so glorious a time when the Panting Soul shall become an enjoying an embracing Soul When water-brooks shall be turn'd into rivers of pleasure ever springing from Gods right hand who is the fountain of being where the glorious rayes that flow from the face of Christ shall gild those pleasant and crystalline streams and there shall be fresh and eternal ebullitions of joy so that the pure soul may bathe it self in blisse and be for ever steept in unexpressible in unconceivable sweetnesse Mount Ebal JUDGES 5. 23. Curse ye Meroz saith the Angel of the Lord Curse bitterly the Inhabitants thereof because they came not out to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the Mighty THis Chapter is fill'd with a Triumphant Song that was made by Deborah that glorious Nursing-mother in Israel after a great and famous Conquest which God had given her and Barak over Jabin and Sisera and all their mighty Hostes She presently after the victory breaks out into a Psalm of Thanksgiving she stirs up her soule to the praise of her God and excites Barak to bear her company in this her joy Awake Deborah Awake c. Deborah in the Hebrew Language signifies a Bee A Bee by them is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a working industrious creature And this Song may well be look't upon as Deborahs Honey-combe a sweet and precious Song dropping from her gracious lips Deborahs Honey-combe I but withal this Bee it ha's a sting Curse ye Meroz saith the Angel of the Lord Curse ye bitterly c. These words they are the sting of Deborahs Song which strikes through all such as maintain not the cause of God against his enemies that come not out to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the Mighty If you look but upon the foregoing words you may see there how this holy Prophetesse takes an exact view of the behaviour of the several tribes in this time of war and commotion when the People of Israel were now opposing the Canaanites such enemies as God had devoted to destruction and had given the Israelites full Commission to destroy them And after special notice taken she gives just Encomiums and commendations of all such as were forward and active in the Lords cause and withal sharp reproofs and cutting reprehensions to all such as were remisse and negligent in this their duty And first she begins with the praise of them that deserv'd it Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek This tribe sent in aide to Israel and the root that sprang from hence against Amalek was Deborah her selfe who judged Israel dwelling under a Palme-tree between Ramath and Bethel in Mount Ephraim and by her charge and authority the war was undertaken it was she that whetted Barak and encourag'd the Israelites against their enemies After thee Benjamin among thy People Against thee O Amalek some of this tribe also adjoyned themselves to Deborah Out of Machir came down Governours The tribe of Manasseh branch't it self into two noble families that of Machir and the other of Jair And out of Machir there came worthy men to help in the battel And out of Zebulon they that handle the Pen of the Writer Learned men and skilful Lawyers such as handle the Pen these help't forward in the War both 1. By their Counsel and Advice and this is none of the smallest aides One Vlysses better then many an Ajax Or 2. By weapons and outward aid Such as were wont to handle the Pen of the Writer they now handle the spear of the Souldier And the Princes of Issachar were with Deborah choice and worthy ones Heads of the People And Issachar Not only the Princes but the rest of the tribe And also Barak He was the Captain chief in the War the primum mobile He was sent on foot into the valley He was the Leader of the foot-men in the valley Thus far she commends in the next words she reproves For the Divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart why abodest thou among the sheepfolds to hear the bleatings of the flockes for the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart There were great wonderings why Reuben came not out to help their brethren for the divisions of Reuben that they should hold back and not accompany the rest of the tribes many searchings and enquiries why Reuben came not This tribe dwelt beyond Jordan in fat and goodly pasture and they too much minded their Cattel and neglected the care of the Common-wealth They were hearing the bleatings of the sheep and the bellowings of the oxen when their brethren heard the Alarum of War the noise of the Trumpet the beating of the Drum Why abodest thou among thy sheepfolds hast thou no care of Israels troubles of the bleeding condition of thy brethren dost thou take more care of thy sheep then of them see how the fierce enemie like a Wolf comes to devoure them and proud Sisera is ready to tear them in pieces wilt thou not take as much care of them as of thy sheep Gilead abode beyond Jordan Both the families of Manasseh Machir and Jair dwelt in Gilead and possessed it Now the family of Machir was commended before so that here is meant of Jair Or else the words are to be took thus as an answer to Reuben why could'st not thou come from beyond Iordan as well as Gilead Gilead abode beyond Iordan and yet he came and so this tends to Gileads praise and to Reubens dishonour the first sense is most genuine And why did Dan remain in ships Either 1. To shelter themselves from the enemies when they heard of Iabin and Sisera's coming they slipt themselves away Or else 2. Dan remained in ships he minded his own businesse and merchandise his traffick and commerce And why did Dan remaine in ships when all Israel was almost suffering shipwrack Asher continued on the sea-shore and abode in his breaches The words include a double excuse which Asher had why it came not to help Israel 1. They dwelt afar off by the Sea-shore 2. Their townes and cities were ruinous and not well fenc't and therefore they stayed at home to defend and fortifie themselves they abode in their breaches I but there was another breach that Asher might have thought of a breach of Gods Law and Commandment which enjoyn'd his People mutual love and a joynt opposition of their enemies Zebulun and Naphtali were a People that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field After a more general commendation of some tribes and reproofes of others she then comes to a special Encomium of these two as most eminent in their service and a more stinging reproof of such as were inexcusably negligent Zebulun and Naphtali reproached their lives so 't is in fonte they esteemed them not worth the having with Israels ruine they preferr'd Gods cause before their lives They reproached
foot-steps of this in Nature some obscure representations of this truth there The Sun it do's not monopolize its beams and engrosse its light but scatters them abroad gilds the whole world with them it shines more for others then it self it is a publick light Look on a fountaine it do's not binde in its streams seale up it self and enclose its waters but spends it self with a continual bubbling forth it streams forth in a fluent liberal and communicative manner it is a publick spring Nay natural bodies will part with their own properties leave their motions nay crosse their own inclinations for a general good The Aire a light and nimble body that mounts upwards and do's naturally ascend yet for an universal good rather then there shall be a breach and rupture in nature a vacuum it will descend for the stopping of that hiatus In the body of man the inferiour members will venter themselves for the good of the whole The hand will be cut off and lose its own being rather then the head shall be endanger'd you see some shadowes of this truth in Nature 3. And the weak and glimmering light of Nature shews thus much that a man is not borne for himself alone he is a sociable â—reature and sent into the world for the good of others The â—oice of an Heathen A mans countrey and his friend and others challenge great part of him It is a miserable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make his own self the centre of all his actions 4. Consider that every mans private welfare is included in the publick The welfare of Meroz depended upon Israels safety what would have become of Meroz if the rest of their fellow-brethren had perisht So that it was a part of great folly in Meroz not to come out to the help of Israel When the disease seazes upon a vitall part as the head or the heart or the like so as to endanger the whole then every member is in danger though for the present they may be free from paine The well-being of every private man depends on the publick good A single drop is soon dry'd up and consum'd I but a drop in the Ocean when 't is united to a multitude of other drops 't is there more safe and a drop by it self is weak and can make no resistance I but a drop in the Ocean is terrible Men have a more safe and a more honourable being as joyn'd to the whole then taken single by themselves A single drop can do nothing but a multitude of drops joyn'd together will make a stream and carry all before them A single beame is obscure but in the Sun the centre of rayes meeting in the publick point they are glorious And these arguments may prevaile with you as men living in common society but then as Christians I. Consider that Gods children have been alwayes of this disposition of publick spirits seeking the glory of God and the good of Sion Exod. 32. 32. If not blot me I pray thee out of thy Book Moses out of a pang of vehement zeale would part with his own happinesse rather then Israel should perish If it would make more for the glory of God he would be content to be damn'd or at least to have the beams of Gods favourable presence withdrawn from him Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ or separated for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh for the Jews Israelites which is meant of the poena damni I could be content to have the face of Christ hid from me for my brethrens sake as Gods face was once hid from Christ upon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me A most strong affection and zeale for the publick good Paul knew what the face of Christ was how glorious a sight it was to see God face to face And he knew what answer God had given to Moses too Him that sinnes him will I blot out of my Book And yet out of a most ardent desire of the salvation of the Jews he will part with the face of Christ so they may be saved here were publick spirits indeed What should I tell you of Vriah that famous Souldier his brave and heroical resolution how he would take no complacency in outward things and marke his reason 2 Sam 11. 11. The Arke and Israel and Judah abide in tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields as if he should say What shall the Arke be in danger and shall Vriah be secure Or shall my Lord Joab be more forward then I am in Israels cause As thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing He raps out an Oath like a Souldier which he might have well spar'd but yet he shews a most generous and publick spirit And this was no small aggravation of Davids sin 137. Psalme See how the Psalmist and the rest of Gods people behave themselves By the rivers of Babylon we sate down and wept when we remembred thee O Sion We hanged our Harpes upon the Willows in the midst thereof If I forget thee Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning David had a most delicate touch upon the Harpe a soft and silken touch He could still Saul's evil spirit with his Musick but if I forget thee Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning And when did Jeremy make his Lamentation that whole book of mourning but when the glory of Sion was laid in the dust when Ierusalem the Lady of Nations was made desolate Gods people have been alwayes of publick spirits and have sympathiz'd with the Church II. That you may follow so good example think whose cause it is The cause of Israel is the cause of God To the help of the Lord c. Can you have a better cause The good of the Church and the glory of God are knit together by an act of Gods gracious will So that he that seeks the good of the Church do's in the same act seek the glory of God And he that helps not Israel comes not out to the help of the Lord. Now you are bound to maintaine the cause of God and to help the Lord. 1. By many and severall engagements As creatures at his beck he has a sovereignty and dominion over you Not to obey the great God is to deny his supremacy You are bound in a way of thankfulnesse to stand for him and his cause by those sweet mercies those precious pledges of his love which he every moment heaps upon you by those many blessings that come swimming to you in the blood of a Saviour 2. By many Promises Vowes Protestations Your first and Originall vow in Baptisme obliges you to maintaine the cause of God and of his Church against all the enemies thereof And you have often repeated this Vow and seal'd it again in the Lords Supper for you know that 's a sealing up of
that know how jealoâ—s God is of his honour and how he takes it more hainously to be robb'd of it by his own people whil'st you now attribute all to men as if they were the authors and finishers of your faith are ye not carnall 4 Even in that which you think your selves spiritual are ye not carnal Perhaps you think you honour Paul and reverence Apollo and give due respect to the Ministers but know that they are the friends of the bridegroom and would have presented virgin-souls unto Christ and whil'st you dote upon other loves and fix your thoughts on inferiour objects you break Paul's heart and discourage Apollo in his labour Paul took you for his crowne and joy but you prove no better then a crown of thornes and pierce him through with many sorrows Paul called you his epistle but you prove his blot and now me thinks you should correct your own thoughts and even acknowledge your selves carnal 5. In all this I appeal to your selves Are ye not carnal Be your own judges collect your thoughts together consider it but with a serious and composed spirit carry your selves to the rule to the law and to the testimony see whether this be to be carnal or no if you deny it why thus you 'l prove your selves carnal and more carnal then we hope you are No question but you are carnal And thus much may serve for clearing of the text Wee 'l now summe up the words together and then they will amount to this proposition That it is a grosse and carnal thing to glory in the worthiuesse and excellencies of them that dispense the Mysteries of salvation And first as it seeks to eclipse and obscure the glory of God Nam ea est conditio imperandi ut non aliter ratio constet quà m si uni reddatur God hath taken all meanes for the brightning of his own Crown and he that dares set it upon a creatures head he that goes about to rest the golden Scepter out of Gods own hand and to place a creature in his Throne must needs be reus laesae Majestatis in a high degree Nobis obsequii gloria relicta est As he in the forenamed Historian told his Emperour though a cruel Tyrant this is all the honour left to us and 't is enough to be wholly subject to so great and good a God and to give all the glory unto him Let not then the Wise-man glory in his wisdome no neither let others glory in his wisdome for 't is grosse Idolatry to attribute that to man which is due to God to make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which at the best are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even these idols are nothing Now God that made us and knows our mold and fashion the weaknesse and frailty of our nature how we use to pore upon the immediate agent as present to our senses and obvious to our apprehensions though far inferiour and of a more ignoble being as wholly dependant upon a higher cause he therefore chose to himself so weak an instrument as we could not possibly imagine that that should have sufficient influence for the producing of so great an effect as that by the few words of a weak frail man a precious and an immortal soul should be eternally saved which most make a greater work then that of the creation that so we might be necessitated to look higher to the powerful hand of God that brings so great things to passe And this is his usual method and manner of dealing Thus hath he chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and 't is plain as they tell us in Opticks that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non sunt acuti visûs they give the reason propter radios in illis dispersos magis et dissipatos Men of vast intellectuals of very faire eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they do but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in spirituals they have some broken and scattered notions which can't represent heavenly truths in their proper sâ—ecies when as some of a lesse eye oh how quick and piercing are they into these holy mysteries and such as are dimme-sighted in Philosophy become eagle-eyed in Divinity Chrysostome tells us of two in his time a Greek and a Christian that were very hot in dispute whether Paul or Plato were the better scholler The Christian he amplifies St. Pauls wisdome and excellency the Greek scornes him as rude and simple and his writings not comparable to Platoes Philosophical and lofty stile The father he comes as 't were to moderate and when he had magnified St. Paul's learning he seems to chide the Christian that he did not yield the other what he would have Grant indeed that Paul came in a more plain and unlearned way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothing tended more to the advancement of the Gospel to the stopping of their mouthes then the consideration of this that a few weak men by the foolishnesse of preaching the preaching of a crucified Saviour confounded the grand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the world and more prevailed upon the hearts of men though prepossest with contrary principles then ever they could do with all their wisdome For an handfull of naked impotent men to conquen an whole host of armed champions These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he there speaks Alas Moses Atticissant had a veil upon his face and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could not see into so divine a mystery nay God hath chosen the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meere Non-entia of the world to bring to nought the things that are A strange Paradox and enough to amaze an Aristotle to hear of a Non Ens annihilating an Ens and yet no principle surer or clearer in all his Metaphysicks if it be took in this spiritual meaning and that because God hath chosen the things which are not at all in mens apprehensions and of a very thinne and weak being in themselves He hath chosen these to bring to nought the things that are That thus his power may be the more eminent in their weaknesse and his Majesty shine more gloriously in their contemptiblenesse God could have clothed some bright Seraphim with light as with agarment sent him to have sparkled out Divinity amongst us He could have made his Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even in this sense ministring Spirits for the good of them that should have been heirs of salvation But then we should have been took up too much with the glittering of the creatures and our eyes dazeled with their brightnesse God therefore hath made these Starres even of the first magnitude to disappear that the Sonne may be all in all He hath hid the Pearle in a shell and shut up his treasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an infinite condescension he speaks to us by Moses and thus delivers the Gospel too by the hand of a Mediatour He hath sent us men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul and
the Covenant Now what 's the Covenant but this That he shall be your God and you shall be his people And then you can't but remember a late Vow that you have made too the very summe of which was this to stand for the publick good 3. Certainty to prosper it is the cause of God A Christian is of the surest side of the winning side There 's none but has a minde to prosper then pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that love thee There 's none can eclipse the glory of God it 's beyond the limited power of a creature to dimme the lustre of his Crown God will maintaine his own cause or else he should lose of his glory his mighty Arme will get himself the victory Christ is the Captain of this Church and he is the chiefest often thousand the Ensigne-bearer And this is comfort enough for a Christian the enemies must conquer Christ before they can overcome his Church Christ the head of the Church is impregnable This is the second ground why Christians must stand for the cause of the Church because 't is the cause of God to which they are bound 1. By engagements many and great 2. By Vows 3. Encouraged with certainty of successe III. A Christian's bound to be of a publick spirit by vertue of the communion of Saints Every Christian's a member of Christs mysticall body and so must take care for the good of the whole He that is united to Christ the Head must be knit also to the other members He that do's not sympathize with the Church is not of the body He that can hear of the breaches of Sion and the decayes of Ierusalem He that can see the apples of Gods eye pierc't through and not be affected with it will ye call such members of Christs body He that is not truely affected with the bleeding condition of the Christians in Ireland do's virtually and in effect deny this Article of his Creed The Communion of Saints IV. It is against the Mighty Christians had need have publike spirits because they have publick enemies the Devil a publick enemy Antichrist a publick enemy They are private enough in respect of their malice and subtlety but publick in force and opposition As there is the paw of the Lion for strength so there is the head of the Serpent for wisdome but yet the head of the Serpent is broken their wisdome infatuated He that is in heaven can counterplot them and laugh them to scorne But yet thus much you may learn of the enemies of the Church to study the publick good They seek the ruine of the whole and why should not you seek the welfare of the whole If they be so sedulous and industrious so forward and active in a bad cause will you be negligent and remisse in the best cause in the cause of God in the helping of the Lord All that they do they 'l tell you 't is for the Catholick cause they are for the publick What won't a Jesuite do for the Catholick cause Hee 'l compasse Sea and Land to gaine one proselyte They do publick mischiefs and have a malignant and venomous influence into all places where they come and why should not Christians do as publick service for God as they do for the Devil Come out therefore against the mâ—ghty to the help of the Lord. That which was Meroz his excuse perhaps because the Canaanites were mighty ones therefore they durst not come out against them this God makes the very aggravation of their sin for if the enemies were mighty Israel had more need of their help and aide Curse ye Meroz saith the Angel of the Lord c. And Meroz might have consider'd that as there are mighty enemies so there is a mighty God too an Almighty God that can crush proud Sisera and dash in pieces the strongest enemy And now by this time you have seen that 't is but fit and equall for a Christian to be of a publick spirit to come out to the help of the Lord. 2. The manner how every Christian may promote the publick good And here by way of premisall 1. It must be in a lawful and warrantable way They that come out to help the Lord must help him in his own wayes such wayes as his word allowes or else they do not help the Lord but offend the Lord in breaking his commandments Job 13. 7. Will you speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him Do's Gods glory depend upon mans sin do's he allow any man to sin for the advancing of his glory Nay do's he not forbid it and detest it It is a clear and undenyable truth of our Saviour You must not do evil that good may come of it A speech of one of the Ancients You must not tell the least lie if you could save the whole Church by it You remember the clause in the Protestation as far as lawfuy I may he that seeks the publick good in an unlawfull course breaks his Protestation To the right conducting of an action besides the intention of an end truely there must be also the choice of just direct means for the accomplishing of it 2. In a prudent and orderly way They that come out to the help of the Lord must keep their ranks The Starres fought in their courses against Sisera Christians must keep their severall stations if there be confusion you can't tell a Canaanite from an Israelite a friend from a foe Let every Christian that studies the publick good keep his own place The Magistrate his the Ministers theirs and the people also theirs And now there are some wayes very good and warrantable by which Christians may come out to the help of the Lord and to the aiding of Israel 1. By Prayer To be sure this is a lawful meanes I and 't is a prevalent means too and has great influence upon the publick good Exod. 17. 11. When Moses held up his hand then Israel prevail'd 'T is a speciall benefit that Christians have by the communion of Saints the prayers one of another There 's a stock of prayers the Church has and the weakest Christian has a share in it Thou hast the benefit of many Christians prayer whose face thou never sawest whom thou never heard'st of perhaps he lives in America or some remote corner of the world but wheree're he be thou hast the benefit of his prayer as a member of the mystical body For there 's no prayer put up to God for his Church but it encludes every particular member of the Church in it so that prayer do's wonderfully promote the publick good Pray for the peace of Jerusalem pray for it that 's the way to have it And many an one that can use no other means yet may use this There 's many can't help the Christians in Ireland but there 's no Christian but may pray for them There 's many that can't fight against the Rebels and yet they can