manifest himself most of all and in the greatest splendor that may be And that immediately Revel 21. Psal 19.1 76.8 Rom. 1.18 Jam. 1.17 Psal 102.19 20. not by meanes neither Ordinary or Extraordinary as he doth here in this world Thence we see most evident signes of his Properties and Attributes of his Omnipotency Wisdome Justice Mercy Psal 19.1 76.8 Rom. 1.18 Jam. 1.17 Psal 102.19 20. Thence he sendeth his Angells Thence the Son of man descended Thence the holy Spirit was sent And thence the Son of man shall come to judge the world In a word Look as the soul of man is said to be in the Head or Heart so conceive of Gods being in Heaven The soul we know animates the whole body of man and by the presence of it in every member communicates Life to the whole yet by way of preheminency and excellency it is said to be in the Head or Heart of man because in these two parts of man and from thence she exerciseth her cheifest functions and deriveth her cheifest influence Thus it is with God he is every where And yet said to be within in Heaven because thence is the cheifest rayes of his majesty manifested Thus God may be said to be within in respect of his Habitation and dwelling More Particularly God may be said to be within in two other respects First in regard of Audience he is reâ—dy to hear us when we call upon him Secondly in regard of Ability and Power to help and succour us in our greatest distresses He is alwayes within in respect of his readinesse to heare us when we call upon him Psal 34.15 verse 17 18. Psal 145.18 19 So Psal 34.15 His eares are open unto our cryes and verse 17 18. The Righteous cry and the Lord heareth he is nigh to them that are of a broken heart So Psal 145.18 19. The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him yea to all that call upon him in truth he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he will also heare their cry and will save them Psal 102.17.19 20. So Psal 102.17.19 20. He hath regard to the prayers of the destitute c He looked down from the height of his Sanctuary from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth to heare the groaning of the Prisoner to loose those that are appointed to Death This readinesse of God's to heare us may be seen first in giving an Answer to his as soone as ever they have done their Prayer as Numb 14.20 when the people murmured and God threatened Gen. 24.15 Numb 14.20 Moses cryed and the Lord presently answered I have forgiven them according to thy Request So 2 Sam. 22.7 And Acts 4.31 When they had done praying 2 Sam. 22.7 Acts 4.31 the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Secondly He sometimes Answers before we have done praying So Dan. 9.20 21. whilst I was speaking and praying Dan. 9.20 21. Psal 35.13 yea whilst I was speaking in prayer the man Gabriel came c So Psal 35.13 my Prayer was turned into my own bosome This Answer David received even whilst he was praying Thirdly He shewes his readinesse in that he heares us so soon as ever we begin to pray So Dan. 10.12 Feare not Daniel Dan. 10.12 for from the first day that thou did'st set thy heart to understand and to humble thy selfe before thy God thy words were heard his eares are open at the first like a tender Mother or Nurse which use to be so wakeful as that they heare the Infant when it first begins to whimper Fourthly He shewes his readinesse to heare in that sometimes before we can speak a word Psal 32.5 when it is but in the purpose of our Hearts to pray God prevents us and grants us that which he knowes we would have begged of him Isay 65.24 Isay 65.24 Before they call I will answer He heares and sees the inclinations of the heart John 11.41 Father I thank thee said our Saviour at the raysing up of Lazarus that thou hast heard me Bernard notes upon these words that at that time when Christ gave thanks to God for having heard him he had said nothing to his Father but in his heart And that God had heard before he spake And thus as our Saviour entered into the house to his Disciples januis clausis when the dores were shut John 20.28 So God many times enters into us when our lips are shut and we have not opened them by verball Prayer Fifthly and lastly He shews his readinesse to hear us in hearing a voyce in that which hath no voyce and that is our Teares The Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping saith David Psal 6.8 Isay 38.5 Psal 6.8 So Isay 38.5 In all these particulars Gods readinesse to give us audience may appeare And as he is alwayes within in regard of his readinesse to heare so no lesse within in regard of his Ability to help and succour us God hath spoken once yea twice have I heard it that Power belongs unto the Lord saith David Psal 62.11 This hath the Testimony Psal 62.11 both of Gods word and works Of his word There is none like unto the God of Jesurun saith Moses who rideth upon the Heavens for thy help Deut. 33.26 27. Jer. 32.27 2 Cor. 9.8 Deut. 33.26 27. read Jer. 32.27 2 Cor. 9.8 The very Pillars set up in the Porch of the Temple taught this Truth the name of the one was Jachin he shall establish and the name of the other was Boaz in him is strength 1 King 7.21 Jachin and Boaz in him 1 King 7.21 cannot be sundered And the works of God in all ages have testified as much Psal 135.5 Psal 135.5 6. 6. What mervailous things hath he effected for the succour of his Church and people you have before in part heard and may heare more thereof hereafter In short Gods Almightinesse is his Essence and his Essence is his Almightinesse All in God is Mighty mighty Mercy mighty Patience mighty Power It hath no limits He hath the same way meanes receipts to keep from ruine and to help as in former times c Thus you see how God is a Friend within not only in respect of habitation but in regard of Readiness to heare and of Ability to help Use 1 This may discover to us the folly of those who neglect this Friend within and knock at a wrong dore seeking to vain helps in the day of their distresse Papists reach us to goe for all our Necessities by Invocation to Saints in Heaven but these can neither heare nor give I know that the Papists will not say that all the Saints in Heaven heare all that is said and done on Earth And we must be sure to pray where we may be sure to speed Our Saviour Christ was willing to give us a Rule for
Prayer and in that Rule he hath taught us to say Our Father had he been willing that his Rule should have been declined to the Saints he would have taught us to say Frater noster qui es in coelis and not only Pater noster to pray to our Bretheren which are there and not to our Father only that is in Heaven Besides many of the Saints that they direct us to we know not where to find Whither shall we goe to their St. George when we are to fight for Victory Where shall we find their Petronilla when the Ague is upon our backs or their Saint Apollonica when we have the Tooth-ach What know we whether these be in Heaven or no Many of their Saints are so far from heating in Heaven that they are not there For may not the Pope err in matter of fact and so Canonize a Traytor for a Saint And many of their Saints are so farr from being there in Heaven that they were never here on Earth So farr from being Saints as that they were never men but are either fabulous illusions or at least but symbolicall and Allegoricall allusions Our adversaryes can say no other They do not hold that all their Legends were really Historically true but confesse that many of them are but symbolicall inventions to figure out not what was truly done before but what we should endeavour to do now Sure we are that our God is a God of Lâ—fe and Being And we know where he is and no man knowes where he is not he can heare at all times and is ready to heare and help and therefore being a Friend and a Friend within to him should we resort And as these are to be reproved who trust in Friends whose breath is not in their Nostrills nor ever was so others amongst our selves who put their trust in other Friends whose breath is in their Nostrills as the Prophet speaks Isay 2. ult for wherein are they to be esteemed But of these more hath been said before Use 2 Needs must this be a great ground of encouragement unto us to flye to God by humble Prayer in all our troubles seeing we come in comming unto him to a Friend within one that is within call and both ready and able to help us And this hath been a great encouragement to the Godly from time to time to come unto him by Prayer Mich. 7.7 Psal 65.2 86.7 6.9 Psal 41.1 Mich. 7.7 Psal 65.2 86.7 Psal 6.9 And a great encouragement it is to them to hold out and persevere in Prayer Psal 40.1 Baals Priests could not alwayes find Ball at home our God is never abroad he is in Heaven there we shall find him Whilst we know a Friend is within that we are desirous to speak withall we continue knocking That we may do thus First See in God a fullnesse of those things that thou beggest of him by Prayer Consider of him as of one who is able to give being to his promises see an Alsufficiency in him one in whom there is a fullness of all those things thou cravest at his hands He that cometh to God may not waver in respect of Gods sufficiency Jam. 1.5 We seek things more earnestly James 1.5 and confidently when we know they are there where we look for them This is the foundation the Basis upon which our Saviour erects that Prayer which he hath recommended to us Our Father which art in Heaven see him to be a God in Heaven and thou wilt pursue chearfully all other Petitions As for daily Bread forgivenesse of Sinnes deliverance from Temptations For Kingdome Power Glory is his Thus the Apostle Paul still sets God before him as having that in him for which he prayeth Speaking of Peace he prayes The God of Peace sanctifie you throughoâ—t 1 Thes 5.23 so Acts 4.24 The Church praying for courage and bolâ—nesse 1 Thes 5.23 Acts 4.24 set God before them as the God of Power who hath made both Heaven and Earth and Sea c. Thus if thou desirest pardon of Sin Psal 86.5.15 Psal 130.7 2 Cor. 1.3 consider of God as a God with whom there is plenty of Redemption and Forgivenesse Desirest thou ease in any misery or griefe Consider of God as a Father of Mercy and Consolation c This will strengthen Faith and enflame Affection It diâ—covers to me the Key within the dore assures me that he is within whom I should speak withall one able to helpe But of this before _____ Secondly If thou would'st see God within see a Promise from God of those things thou beggest ground thy Prayers upon that Promise set that before thine eyes and ground thy confidence upon it Gen. 32.9.12 2 Sam. 7.25 1 King 8.25 Psal 119.147 143.1 Gen. 32.9.12 2 Sam. 7.25 1 King 8.25 Psal 119.147 143.1 These promises are as Gods Staffe and Sâ—gnet When we see a Friends Staffe or Cloake lye upon the Table through a Window it tells us he is not farr off and encourageth us to knock and waite Therefore Acquaint thy self with the promises that God hath made unto thee both for things of this Life and of a better Consiâ—er how farr they reach upon what conditions they are made and understand them right So shalt thou see God to be a God within ready and willing to heare Thirdy and lastly If thou would'st see God within look upon him through the dore John 10.7 Rom. 11.36 1 Tim. 2.5 I am the dore saith Christ in him and through him look up to God He is the Mediator or the meane betwixt God and us through him we must looke unto God and through that meane he lookes upon us In his name we must aske if we obteyne John 16.23 14.14 Aug. med c. 5. John 16.23 14.14 For what saith St. Austine can be more pleasing to a Father then to use the mediation of his Son The whole frame of our Prayers should be like the beating out of a piece of Gold but the last clause is like the Impression of the stampe Now no silver is currant that hath not Caesars impression nor any Prayer acceptable that hath not the stampe of Christ the Image of the Father The ascending of the Throne of Solomon was by six stayres or steps and at the end of every step or stayre 1 King 10.72 was engraven a Lyon We ascend to the Throne of God by those six Petitions of that Prayer which the Son of God hath composed as a platform for us to the end of each of which Petitions must be annexed a Lyon even the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Revel 5.5 who by his mediation must procure us both audience and favour The Sun enlightens the Cloud when the Cloud is directly opposite to the Sun as we see in the Rainbow albeit the Cloud is obscure and darke yet in it is seen divers faire colours but this is never but when the face
clearing of the point First how God can be said to be abed Secondly whence it is that no Child can help when God is abed Of the first I hope there is none present that have so grosse and earthly conceit of God as to imagine that he was in Bed indeed for he is Vivens vidensque that ever-living and all-seeing God whose eyes are never closed according to that of David Behold he that keepeth Israel Psal 131.4 1 King 18.27 doth neither slumber nor sleep Psal 131.4 He is nor like Baal of whom Elias sometimes spake tauntingly to his Preists Cry aloud peradventure he sleepeth Eâ—as in Apoph Cic. and you must awake him rather what the Romane Orator spake pleasantly of Caninius his Consulship Vigilantissimum habuimus Consulem c never was there a more Vigilant Consul then Caninius who during all the time of his Consulship never took a nap for indeed his Consulship lasted but for a day it did set with the Sun that we may truly say of the Almighty And yet although he alwayes doth like himself yet he speaks like a man for the infirmity of our flesh and resembleth himself to one that is a bed and asleep when he puts himself into a sleepy posture as it were towards his people and is to them as a man asleep is to his Friend and that first in retiring and withdrawing himself from them for a time as a man that goes to sleep withdrawes himself from company and doth not appeare openly in the behalf of his Servants of this David complaines Psal 9.19 59.4 Psal 9.19 59.4 Secondly when he appeares to be as one that hath forgotten them A state of sleep is a state of forget fullnesse this David laments Psal 44.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face Psal 44.24 and forgettest our Afflictions and Oppressions Awake ô Lord arise for our help verse 23.26 Thirdly verse 23.26 when he appeares to be unwilling to be disquieted and seemes to thrust us from him as this Friend which my Text speaks of did his Friend This David likewise bewailes Psal 44.23 Cast us not off for ever Psal 44.23 or thrust us not away as some read Indeed it is his mercy and Patience that casts him thus on his Bed Ainsworth Jun. and brings him as it were into a sleep and that for no other end but to awake us out of sleep as the Disciples did Math. 8.24 25. Math. 8.24 25. Next when God is thus abed no Child he hath can arise for our help All Creatures in Heaven and in Earth are but as the Reflex of the glasse which presently vanisheth upon the turning away of the face The whole Creation is but a broken Cisterne of it self and can hold nothing Jer. 2.13 As the Creatures speak of Wisdome The depth saith It is not in me The Sea saith It is not in me Job 28.14 So may they say of comfort and help Job 28.14 2 King 6.26 Psal 119.91 Thus said that King 2 King 6.26 27. And so will all Creatures say in Heaven and in Earth All are Gods Servants and at his command they stirr not till he gives the word As all Creatures have their being from God so they have their dependance on him Lopez de Gomara The Kings of Mexico when they are consecrated use to take this Oath I sweare that the Sun during my Life shall hold on his course and keep his wonted glory and brightnesse and the Clouds shall send down raine the Rivers shall run and the Earth bring forth fruite But the Lord hath a Negative voyce in all the Actions of the world and what things are necessary to the Creature and have a must be to the Creator they are free and have a may not be nay a must not be except he gives the word Use 1 It is a great folly then any to expect comfort from any Creature whilst the Creator hath hid away his face none of the houshold will be up when the Master is a Bed When God would not Answer Saul he runs to the Witch of Endor and sottishly wills her to rayse up Samuel who was at rest 1 Sam. 28.16 she raysed up the Devill in the likenesse of Samuel who cunningly resembles him both in habit and gesture and useth the very language of Samuel but what said he to him Wherefore hast thou disquieted me and wherefore dost thou ask of me seeing the Lord hath forsaken thee and is thine enemy Whilst God doth hide himself from us expect no Samuel to comfort us The Devill as soon in his likenesse If Gods eyes be shut no Childs eyes will be open to us If he do not first arise none of the Family neither in Heaven nor in Earth dare get up to open the Dore for us or give a comfortable answer to us Meanes indeed must be used but not trusted to God can work without meanes no meanes can availe without God 2 Chron. 16.12 Job 13.4 Aâ—l outward helps are vaine till he puts to His helping hand What good could Asa's Physitians do him when God was not up to blesse the meanes Adrians Physitians cast him away so farr were they from saving him Zerxes trusted to the multitude of men but they encumbered him Darius in his wealth but that sold him Rehoboam to his young Councellors but they lost him Caesar to his old Senators but they conspire against him Domitian in his guard but they betrayed him All outward aides are but Aegyptian reedes which being leaned upon do not only break under us and so deceive our trust but pierce into our hands and sides and so make a greater wound Use 2 We have tryed what wit can do what wealth can do what Pollicy can do what earthly power can do to succour us and yet we are not succoured helped delivered All the comfort which we hoped to have from the Creature yet sleeps Now try we another way Awaken God the Master of the house get him to arise and the Children will soon get up The Church cryes unto him three times with one breath Awake awake awake Isay 51.9 David often cryes out Awake Isay 51.9 Psal 9.19 35.23 44.23 Math. 8.25 Lord awake rise up Lord why sleepest thou Psal 9.19 35.23 44.23 and God rook it well at his hands Nor did our blessed Saviour take it ill from his Disciples that they awake him in a Tempest Math. 8.25 albeit it seemes by the Text that they did it very turbulently and irreverently their fear being great but their Faith small Nor will God take it ill at our hands if we call upon him to raise for our succour nay therefore he doth seem sometimes to sleep that he may be awaked by our outcryes Till this be done expect not any Saint nor Angell to come in for our succour If we take the wordes in another sense and understand by Children Gods Church and people his Saints and holy ones
30.34 Exod. 30.34 If we pretend much Faith and want Charity or good workes if we shew not forth the fruits of faith in our lives the perfume of Prayer is not sweet in Gods nosthrils If you make that perfume according to God's description put in as much of the Myrrh as of the Frankincense of each a like weight let holinesse of Life accompany your holy Profession of Faith and when your hands drop down Myrrh and your fingers pure Myrrh then lay hands on the handles of the Lock as the Church saith she did Cant. 5.5 and knock-hard that you may be heard And so we have done with the Duty Cant. 5.5 The Incouragement followes And it shall be opened unto you Such is the power of Prayer Text. Doct. that the gates of Heaven cannot stand shut against it Elijah by his fervent prayer lockt and unlockt Heaven at his pleasure Jam. 5.17 Iames 5.17 by turning the key one way he lockt it up that it rained not and by turning it again he unlockt it and set it open so that the Heavens gave rain and the Earth brought forth her fruit And as he fetched water from heaven by his prayer so he fetched fire thence by it 2 King 1.18 Jos 10.12 Esay 38.8 Luke 3.21 2 King 1.10 Ioshua's Prayer had such power over Heaven thâ—t the Sun and Moon stood still till he was revenged on his enemies as we read Ios 10.12 And Hezekiah by his prayer brought the Sun back ten degrees by which it was gone down as we read Esay 38.8 When Christ prayed the Heavens opened Luke 3.21 And the godly prayinâ— by the same spirit have the like power When St. Steven was brought forth to be stoned he knocked at the gate of Heaven by his fervent prayer Acts 7.56 Lord let me in Lord Iesus receive my spirit and presently the Doors of Heaven opened unto him this he saw and did see withall Christ Iesus whom he had preached Standing at the right hand of God Christus stat ut Vindex sedet ut Judex as being ready to revenge his wrongs Acts 7.56 Obj. But the Virgins knockt yet could not be admitted Math. 25.11 So other Math. 25.11 So Luke 13.25 Luke 13.25 Resp But they were Hypocrites and gracelesse persons and the Promise is not made to such nor will every knocking do it as before was shewed you but the knocking at the gate by the hand of Faith and of a holy Life Such as so knock shall have the Door of Heaven flung open to them that their Prayers and Persons too in due time may enter Vse And now me-thinks if nothing that hath hitherto bin said concerning Prayer should cause you to be in love with it yet this that is now spoken of the efficacy and power of it should cause you to affect it Austin aytly terms Prayer the key of Heaven for that it lets us into Gods treasury whence we may take what we will it opens the Door and gives us enterance yea possession of the whole house There is a kind of Omnipotency in it Oh! what cannot Prayer do If the Door of Heaven cannot be kept shut against it can prison Doores iron gates withstand it It cannot be There is no prison so strong but prayer is able to make the Door fly open Read Acts 12.5 6 7. Acts 12.5 6 7. Peter is committed to prison by Herod the Doores are fast lockt upon him and least the prisoner should make an eascape he is bound with two chaines and strongly warded with a double watch so that in humane judgment there was no possibility of escaping and yet Peter is delivered and that through the Prayers of the Church The Church sent up their prayers and God sends down his Angel who awakes him unbindes him directs him instructs him brings him out of danger before he leaves him by which it appears that it was prayer rather then the Angel that delivered Peter out of prison for prayer went up before the Angel came down Another like Instance we have Acts 16.15 26. Acts 16.25 26. Paul and Silas are put into prison cast into the lowest dungeon laid fast in the stocks neck and feet together made sure enough one would think they betake themselves to prayer they send that on their errand into Heaven and it knocks so heard that it shakes Heaven and Earth by and by the prison Doores were opened and every mans chaines loosed and fell from him such is the power of prayer that no Door can stand barrd against it This St. Paul knew right well by his own experience insomuch that at other times when he was a prisoner he trusted that through the Prayers of the Saints he should be delivered Philem. 9.22 Heb. 13.18 19. No such way to procure deliverance for Gods imprisoned servants Philem. 9 22. Heb. 13 18 19. as to send up hearty Prayers to Heaven on their behalf And as no Door on Earth can keep shut against it So no power on Earth is able to withstand it Thou hast prevailed with God said the Angel to Iacob and shalt with man If it can conquer God it is able to prevaile against Esaus wrath Gen. 32.28 mans greatest malice shall fall before it as did Haman's malice before Esther Esther 4.16 The craftiest pate shall not defear it Ester 4.16 2 Sam. 15.32 2 Chron. 14.9 11 12. Exod. 17.11 2 King 19.15 35. the counâ—ell of Achitophel shall wither before Davids prayer 2 Sam. 15.32 the greatest army shall fly before it as did the hoast of a thousand thousand Aethiopians before the the prayer of Asa 2 Chron. 24.9 11 12. So Exod. 17.11 prayer of Moses is more powerful to conquer an hoast of Enemies then the swords or pikes of all Israel besides so was Senacheribs hoast overthrown by Hezekiah's prayer 2 Kings 19.15 35. The prevailing Power of Prayer Anno Dom. 175. Tertull in Apologet Cohors Fulminea Justin Mart. Apol. 2. Niceph. Calist Eccles Hist Lib. 4. c. 12. is not onely to be found in sacred story but it hath bin recorded in all ages of the Church In the Primitive times the Legion of Christians was called the thundering Legion For that upon their prayers God scattered their enemies with thunder and refreshed themselves with showres in a great drought which was done when Marcus Antonius waged war against the Germans his Army being brought into a desperate condition through great and long thrist the Christian Soldiers fell upon their knees and craved help of God and were suddenly not onely relieved with great showres of rain but their enemies were also strucken down with many strokes of thunder whereupon they were termed as aforesaid Cohers Fulminea After this Anno Dom. 394. Ruffinus Socrates Doro. et Ambros de obit Theod. in the good Emperour Theodosius his time in a battail sought against the Tyrant Engenius when the day was almost lost and in the sight of man an apparent overthrow
Nox enim omnis tentatio media autem nox omnis tentationis fervor Theophil Hoc est ostium quod aperiri sibi etiam Paulus exposcit Ambros in Loc. Aug. quest Evang. Lib. 2.21 Colos 4.3 Amos 8.11 Math. 25.16 Luke 13.25 That time of night is mentioned because then all are at rest and none will rise out of their bed without much calling And it may intimate the strength of temptation and trouble under which we are By the Door shut Ambrose understands that Door which St. Paul prayed might be opened that he might speak the Mystery of Christ for which he was in bonds Colos 4.3 So Austine understands it to be meant of the Famine of the word spoken of Amos 8. It was shut to the Jews when the Apostles turned to the Gentiles And afterwards when bloody persecution did arise for preaching of the Gospel I conceive we may understand it in a larger sense for when any oportunity is lost of doing good the Door is said to be shut by a Metaphor By the Children in bed some would that the blessed estate of the Church Triumphant in Heaven should be understood there indeed all is quiet and at rest with Christ their Head Others understand thereby the members of the Church Militant here on Earth Pueri autem qui in lecto quiescunt sunt hi qui conveâ—si sunt facti sunt pueri digni habiti sunt qui quiescerent cum Domino Theoph. Aug. Tom. 4. Quaest Evang. Lib. 2. c. 22. who are converted and become as little Children these are said to be in bed with God in regard of his care and protection over them nor is he willing that any of them should be disquieted of their rest and tranquillity of mind Others conceive that all Creatures in generall are meant thereby for God is the Father of all and they are a bed with him being no way able to help and succour us in our misery if God doth not arise to help us And this seemes most Genuine By the Bread Fish Egg mentioned in the Applying part of the Parable some are of opinion the same is meant that was before by the three loaves Austine understands by Bread Charity by the Fish Faith by the Egge Hope It appears that the Gifts of the Spirit are meant thereby by what our Saviour speaks verse 13. To all these particulars we shall speak more fully in due place We begin with the preface or introduction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he said unto them The Person teaching is Christ the Persons taught are his Disciples his Domesticall servants The twelve who were constantly with him and attending on him being of his family to whom he had prescribed the former plat-form of Prayer and being now in a private place and free from Companie he said to Them The Analytical Table OR A View of the Method observed and followed in this ensuing Exposition of that Parable Which of you shall have a Friend c. Luke 11 5.-11 In which Parable we have considerable The Preface to it And he said unto them where The Person speaking He said The Perâ—ons spoken to unto them The Body of it wherin The Protasis or part propounding vers 5 -9 Wherein A case put vers 5 6 7. And there The manner of proposing it which is By way of Interrogation Which of you By way of Supposition Shall have a Friend The matter proposed shewing Whose case it was A Friend's in general The Disciples in special What it was a case of Necessity where The Indigent or person in want who was a Friend His exigent where to take notice of the Thing wanted The course he takes to supply it and there Bread His Address And shall go unto him at Mid-night c. Where we see To whom he goes unto him that is his friend In what manner he makes it seen By what he did he goes unto his friend at Mid-night where His Action he sends not but He goes The Amplification from the Circumstance of Time at Mid-night By the Request he made which is Proposed and there The manner of proposing it which was By way of Insinuation With a respective compellation Friend The matter of it where The thing desired Lend me The motive it being an easie request Bread for quality Three loave for quantity Pressed from the compulsive caâ—se and that In respect of his Guest where The relation he had unto him he was his Friend A Friend of mine His friendly visitation of hâ—m for Being in his jâ—â—â—nâ—y he is come to me In respect of himself who at that time was unprovided to entertain him I have nothing to set before him His Repulse vers 7. And he from within c. Where Who answers him He from within What answer is given Trouble me not c. where An Inhibition and in it The thing inhibited Trouble me not now The Reasons rendered The Door is now shut My Children are with me in bed The Resolution I cannot rise And give thee Resolved ver 8. where The Persons Resolving I say Resolved unto you The Determination and in it A Concession though he will not rise and give An Affirmative Attestation where The thing attested He will rise c. Either His vigilancy for he riseth His Bounty seen in that He gives not lends Not three loaves onely but As many as he needeth The Reasons rendered Negative Not because he is his Friend Affirmative because of his Importunity The Apodosis oâ— the part applying vers 9 10. containing in it A Mandare vers 9. where The Warrant I say The work imposed expressed by three Acts. Ask Seek Knock The motive from a gracious Promise of Audience which is Enfolded with the Duty It shall be given you You shall finde It shall be opened unto you And amplified ver 10. For every oâ—â—e that asketh receiveth c. and there The Extent of the Grant which reacheth to every one Every one that asketh c. The truth of the Thing It being a try'd Case For every one He said In his own Person mouth to mouth face to face and not by his Servants and Messengers as he spake in former times nor as he speakes in these â—atter times to us but Heb. 1.1.2 as the best and highest Fourms are taught by the Master himself so were these by Christ this duty of Prayer Had we no other Reason to embrace the Doctrine delivered in the Parable propounde and cause us to be in love with the Duty of Prayer therein pressed this were enough It is the voyce of our wel-beloved that requires it Christ himself whose lips are like Lillyes dropping sweet-smelling mâ—rrhe Cant. 5.5 Cant. 5.5 he who came from heaven out of the bosome of the Father he puts the meat into our mouths teacheth us how to pray and encourageth us in the Duty He said Vers 1 He that was himself abundant in the duty although he had not that need to pray as we have having no sin
more hereafter Use 4 Lastly If we find amongst many Friends few true and faithful to us upon tryal wonder not at the matter nor repine at it say not never was man so dealt with by his Friends as I am but make a better use thereof examine thy own heart upon what grounds your friendship grew how came you to be acquainted was not your friendship procured by gifts or flattery the way that many take as I shall shew in the next point and can you think that such friendship will be lasting Rest assured if the unity of Parasitical friends is so fickle that the inconstancy of time and state will stern its Nature Or hast thou not bin injurious to thy friends undervalued him or proved false unto him in action or intention apprehended a discourtesie by a wrong suspect that was never intended by a willing act or lent an eare to ill tongues and entertained false tales slanderous reports against thy friend Prov. 16.18 Prov. 16.18 If so no marvail if thy Friend fail thee who hast failed in point of friendship Or on the other side hast thou not idolized thy Friend and slayed thy heart upon him have not thy Applications bin more frequent to him then thy Addresses to thy Maker Hast thou not more loved his smiles then feared Heavens frowns and his anger grieved thee more then thy sins Woodden Pillars will bow Greenham on Friendship or break upon which you say too much weight God is pleased in such a case to suffer Friends to fail us that we may learn to trust in him alone who will never fail us Mich. 7.5 1 Tim. 5.5 Something or other upon a strict examination thou wilt find to be amisse which thou hast good cause to think that God corrects in thee by thy Friends unkindness or unfaithfulness Labour for the future Ecclus. 6.16 17 to approve thy self in Gods presence so shalt thou ever have or not need the friendship of man And this is the way to profit by this Affliction Now we come from the manner of proposing to the matter proposed Text. Which of you shall have a Friend c. And here consider First whose case it was and who was concerned in it Secondly What it was The case is yours which of you q. d. it concerns you my Disciples and every good man as weâ—l as you It seems then by this There is none but may find the want of a true Friend The men of Tyre and Sidon found the need of one when Herod was offended with them and therefore made Blastus their Friend Acts 12.20 Gen. 38.12 2 Sam. 13.3 15.37 1 Kâ—ng 4 5. Bacons Essay Act. 12.20 Judah was not without his Friend Hirah Gen. 38.12 Ammon had his Friend Jonadab 2. Sam. 13.3 David his Friend Hushai 2 Sam. 15.37 Solomon his friend Zadock 1 King 4.5 Kings one would think stand in lesse need of friends then any and yet they have valued friendship at so high a rate that they have many times purchased it at the hazard of their own safety and greatness Reas Man is like unto a Bee he cannot possibly live alone his birth and bringing up confirm it No Creature hath such need of friendly help Socialis est homo c. Lactant l. 5. c. 18. Other Creatures do no sooner come into the world but they are able by their own proper strength to raise themselves upon their feet and help themselves but it is otherwise with man from the work of the Midwife in bringing us out of the womb of our Mother even to the last work of him or her that puts us into the womb of the Earth we must depend upon others our being in this world is nothing else but a meer dependency 1 Cor. 12.12 all stand in need of one anothers perfections as the Apostle shewes excellently by a similitude from the body of a man 1 Cor. 12. from the 12th to the end Use 1 And yet such is the pride of some mens spirits that out of a conceit and opinion which they have of their own sufficiency they despise the friendship of all Tush saith the rich I would have you know that I can live without you I am not beholding unto you nor ever will And many a poor mans stomach is so big that if he have but a groat in his purse before-hand he will crow too upon his Dunghill I live of my self as well as the best of them I am beholding to never a Churl of them all for a meales meat c. The very Heathens could say that a Friend is more necessary then fire or water If a fine were set upon the heads of such proud spirits and they forbid the use of fire and water by the want of them they would soon find the worth of them But what art thou who thus boastest of thy self Let thy Mountain be never so strong for present yet what assurance hast thou that thou shalt never be removed That Shunamite 2 King 4.13 cap. 8.5 Judg. 11.6 that once refused to be spoken for unto the King by a Prophet little thought that afterward she should stand in need to crave that courtesie of his man Gehezi And as little thought those Elders of Gilead that had thrust out Jeptha for a Bastard that they should be compelled to seek unto him and crave his return God oftentimes brings it so about that those we scorn to be beholding unto in our prosperity we are forced in our want to seek unto for help The goodliest house may sometimes stand in need of a little shoare It is not our wealth and fulness which allowes us the liberty of needing no man Those that stand fastest on Earth have but slippery footing No man can say that he shall not need a Frienâ— There be infinite accidents belonging to mortality which either presently or hereafter may make us glad to find a Friend Use 2 Let our state then for present be what it will be yet it shall be our wisdom to make sure a Friend Prov. 6.3 Prov. 6.3 or as the words in the Original will bear to strengthen our selves with Friends Our Saviour commends this point of wisdom to us in that Parable Luk. 16.9 Luk. 16.9 from the example of the unjust Steward who did the like Now one great point of wisdom is in making of our selves Friends to make a good choyce Give me leave therefore to shew you First what Friends you are to make choyce of Secondly the meanes which you are to use that you may obtain them Antisthenes used to wonder at those who were curious in buying but an Earthen dish and yet were careless in the choyce of Friends wherefore In chusing of a Friend let me shew you first whom you are to avoid and take heed of Secondly whom you are to pitch your affections upon and enter into a league of friendship with There are sundry sorts of men that it is not wisdom to enter
suffice Use Let not any say nor think that all such are friendlesse as are in need Seneca tells us Sence Epist 8. that when the Scholars of Theophrastus had shewed him two men that were very familiar and entire Friends one of them being very Rich and the other Poor he said thus unto them Si amici sunt quorsum alter ita dives alter ita pauper If these be such Friends as you speak of how comes it to passe that the one is so rich and the other poore Indeed a true Friend will be helpfull to his Friend as hereafter we shall heare but yet it may so fall out that my Friend may condole my shipwrack when he cannot afford me a plank to swim to shoare All the wants of a Friend cannot be supplyed by a Friends desires and yet Friendship may be continued as now hath been shewed you It was well answered by Phocion a famous Philosopher in his age to one who told him that Dionysius the Tyrant scoffed at him for his Poverty I am poore indeed said he but Dionysius is much poorer for albeit I want mony yet I want not Friends who are willing to succour me Xenoph. Orat. de Agesilao And it was the praise of Agesilaus that he respected such Friends that would do him a courtesie more then such as did it preferring the benevolence of the mind before the hand Use 2 Put not too much confidence in earthly Friends for they may faile us They cannot do for us alwayes what they would Mysticall sense nor keep us from want Were we God's own Friends we may look to taste of that Cup as followeth now to shew For it is true in a spirituall sense Doct. Gods own Friends may be in a necessitous or needy condition Psal 107.4 5. Rom. 12 13. 2 Cor. 8.14 Shall I bring you Instances was not this Jacobs case Gen. 42.2 did not he want bread for himself and Family and was he not enforced to send into Aegypt for it to preserve their lives as well as the Cananites And was not this Elijahs case 1 King 17.4 who was able to bridle Heaven with his tongue so that neither dew nor raine fell upon the Earth but according to his word yet he is faine to be fed first by a Raven and afterwards by a widdow at Sarepta who was likewise in a strait her self And the like necessitous condition were all Gods Prophets in 1 King 18.13 at the same time they were enforced to hide themselves in Caves and be fed with bread and water at Obadiahs finding Elimelech and Naomi are driven from their dwellings in Bethleem Juda Ruth 1.1 and enforced to sojourne in the Land of Moab for want of food And Ruth a holy Woman and one of the Grand-Mothers of our Saviour constrained by want is enforced to go a gleaning in other mens Fields for the necessary sustinance of her self and Mother in Law What say you of Job Ruth 2.2 was not he stripped of all and yet beloved of God And what to David Psal 40.18 did he not confesse himselfe to be poore and needie was he not so distressed for hunger that he and his company were enforced to eate of the shew-bread 1 Sam. 21.3 Math. 12.4 2 Cor. 11.27 1 Cor. 4.11 Heb. 11.37 Heb. 1. Math. 21.18 John 19.28 Luke 8.3 which out of the case of necessity was not lawfull for any to eate but the Priests only was not Lazarus needie Peter pennilesse St. Paul in hunger cold thirst nakednesse And what read we of those worthies which the World was not worthy of did they not wander up and down in Sheep-skins and Goats-skins being destitute afflicted tormented And did not Christ himself the Son and Heire of the whole world want both meat and lodging and other necessaries insomuch that others did administer to him of their substance I suppose that you can make no doubt of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is so but for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence it comes to passe that is is so you may make some question I shall therefore in the next place render you some Reasons of it Reas This may happen first through the Inconstancy Revel 12.1 1 Pet. 1.24 Revel 4.6 mutability and mobility of all earthly things Nothing under the Sun is of a lasting and durable nature they are like the Moon ever in changing Or like flowers which have their months to day for the Bosome to morrow for the Besome The world is a Sea of glasse and those that stand fastest on it have but slippery footing Such a Palsey possesseth all secular things that their joynts cannot hold together One mans honour is shaken upon another mans back one mans Inheritance into another mans lap There is nothing certaine and steady Nor can we be more certaine of any thing amongst them then of the uncertainty of them all Secondly This may fall out through the malice of Satan and his Instruments who when they cannot mischiefe the Godly in their souls they will endeavour to do them what hurt they can in their goods and Estates The first thing that Satan desired against Job was that God would put forth his hand and touch all that he had Job 1.11 and deprive him of it And the reason of it Chrysostome gives Chrys Hom. 2. de Jacob. he endeavoured to spoil him of his wealth that he might spoile him of his worthy deeds Thirdly the maine Reason of all is Gods providentiall administration who as he ordereth and disposeth of all things under Heaven for his own glory and the good of his so he doth this in suffering his to be in want First that the Rich of the world might not want an object of Charitie The Rich are proved saith Austin by the poverty of others Some good men shall be in want to discover what pitty and compassion is in mens hearts Deut. 15.11 Mark 14.7 Math. 25.44 Deut. 15.11 Mark 14.7 And to leave the mercilesse and hard-hearted without excuse We read Math. 25.44 the wicked will be ready to except against the sentence of the Judge Lord when saw we thee an hungry or thirstie c why then when that poore Widdow was sent away without reliefe that poore Orphan without succour will the judge answer them to their confusion Secondly his Providence doth thus dispose for the good of his that their salvation may be furthered and their better part their soules perfected so Deut. 8.15 16. i. e. that he might humble thee Deut. 8.15.16 with thy wants and prove thee in thy wants to do thee good in the end so Jer. 24.5 By this meanes our proud natures come to be humbled pride and ambition rooted out corruption mortifyed When Jesurun waxed fat he kicked with the heel Take away the provender from the unruly Steed and he becomes more tractable Thirdly Deut. 32.15.18 Revel 13.10 Job 1. Gen. 18.11.21.1 our Faith and Patience
evil that the Husband will not spare to feed on the flesh of the Wise nor the wise of the Huâ—banâ—'s c. verse 56.57 The eye of the Mother who hath bin tender and delicate shall be evil towards her new-born infant so that she shall re-womb and reinâ—omb the train of her body to â—ariâ—ie her hunger yea she shall deâ—our her after-bâ—rith or Secundine which at otâ—er times she would have buried of burned she shall eaâ— it secretly saith the Text either for fear saith Osiander least some might pâ—uck the meat out of her mouth An instance of thiâ— we have in the siege of Samaria 2 Kings 2.29 and â—â—menred by the Prophet Ieremiah Lament 4.10 Or else out of womanly modesty 2 King 6.19 Lament 4.10 being ashamed to be seen to eat iâ— And then Read again Lament 2.20 In all the whole body of story you shall not finde such an expression of the misery of Famine as the Holy Ghost there useth Lament 2.20 women eat their fruit and Children of a span long that is say some Expositors Children new born and as â—oon as the joynts were et by the hand wenz or span of the Midwife Others thus understand the place Dr. Down They shall by some meanes or other procure abortions and untimely births of those Children that were in their bodies that they might have so much flesh to eat All these threatenings were litterally and punctually fullfilled upon the Jewes at the last destruction of Jerusalem 2. Thes 2. Joseph de bello Jud. l. 7. cap. 7.8 Euseb Eccles. Hist l. 3. c. 6. Nic. Eph. Hist l. 3. c. 7. at which time wrath came upon them to the utmost of which Famine Iosephus and others make so sad a relation that I know not who can read it with dry eyes Our own Chronicles present unto our view the gastly Picture of Famine we of this Nation have bin often smitten with this scourge In the Reign of Edward the Second we read of a terrible Famine in the Land which happened through aboundance of raine that fell in Harvest insomuch that horse-flesh Dogs and Cats were held great dainties Children were stolen for food Speed Hist Parents did eat the flesh of their own Children which they hid in secret places And Theeves newly brought into the Goal were torn in pieces and eaten half alive by those who had bin longer there Many other terrible famines are mentioned as in the dayes of Henry the sixth and in the dayes of Henry the Eighth 1440.1527 and many times since God hath sent famine amongst us to cleanse those teeth that have bin furred and fowled with excesse If you think I present the face of famine to you at too far a distance At the siege of Colchester I will bring it nearer and beseech you to veiw it in our near Neighbours glasse Was not Dogs-flesh and Cat-flesh Rats Mice c. in that streight siege of theirs as dainties esteemed with them Oh the miseries that they suffered and had not God remembred them in mercy to what extreamities they might have bin brought the Lord onely knoweth But God hath both freed them In the Year 1654. and 1655. and us even this whole Nation and in stead of Famine so much feared and which justly might be expected he hath powred down such a plenty as that the Markets in all places are stored to a glut mens Sellars and Granaries richly furnished The Husband man and Tillager have no vent whereby to make their Rent And as it is thought should there be neither seed-time nor harvest with us yet the present plentie is such that there is enough to suffice the Nation for divers years ensuing which makes some presumtuously confident that we shall never any more know what Famine or the want of bread-corn meanes But such bold confidence oftentimes comes bleeding home 2 Kings 7. â—â— That Prince of Samaria would not believe that any such plenty could be as the Prophet had foretold Albeit God should make windowes in Heaven and rain down wheat amongst them Nor will some men believe on the other side that ever there shall be scarcity and want of bread-corn amongst us Albeit God should make our Heavens brasse and our Earth Iron But we may do well to remember that next to Pharaohs full eares came Pharoahs blasted eares next Pharoahs fat kine came Pharaohs lean kind next the Red horse comes the black horse many wayes God hath to inflict this Judgement on us sometimes it comes clad in a roab of immoderate raine and showers drowning the worlds plenty and the Earths provision sometimes it is attended with Catterpillars innumerable to eat up the fruits of the Earths and sometimes with blasting and mildew He hath a Band of Midianities Judg. 6.3,11 Jerom. 6.25 to thresh out the corn that we have sowed A Nation he may bring upon us who shall eat up our Harvest and our bread which our Sons and Daughters should eat Besides God sets the Markets sometimes a measure of fine flowre for a Shekle and two measures of Barely for a Shekle And sometimes an Asses head at fourscore pieces of silver 2 Kings 6.25 and a Cab of Doves dung at five pieces of Silver It exceeds belief to tell at what high rates a little mouse hath bin sold and puddings made of Dogs guts If he raise our Markets all the Power under Heaven cannot pull down the prices And what assureance have we that he will not do it Object But there is no likelihood of that This is but to possesse the hearts of people with needlesse fears and jealousies Resp And was there not as great unlikelyhood some few years before these wars began that we should see this Land so plowed and harrowed with the sword sowed with the Carkasses of men and watered with humane blood This was not believed albeit foretold by the Prophets of the Lord but we have seen it verified to our sorrow oh that it were a godly sorrow Again are not thoâ—e very sins now rife and reigning amongst us which God hath heretofore punished with Famine and want of bread Ezeck 14.13 14. more particularly Abuse of plenty to Drunkennesse Ezek. 14.13 14. Isay 5.11.12 2 Sâ—m 21. 1. Jer. 11.21.22 Jer. 27.8 Amos 6.4.6 Levit. 26.24 25 26. Jer. 13 22.-27 14 1 -7 33 14 15 16. Psal 2.11 and riot Isay 5.11 12 13. Murthering of Innocents 2 Sam. 21.1 Rejecting opposing threâ—tning and persecuting Gods Ministers for delivering their message Jer. 11.21 22. Refusing to submit to that yoak of Government which God hath put upon us Ier. 27.8 Insensiblenesse of the wants of those distressed Amos 6.4.6 Obstinacy and incurablenesse in our iniquities Levit. 26.24 25 26. Ier. 13.22 -27. compared with 14 1 -7 33 14 15 16. So that you may see this warning is not needlesse wherefore as we have cause to be excited to thankfulnesse for our present abundance so to be admonished to
sight of the keeper of the prison as we read Prov. 16.7 Gen. 39.21 Exod. 3.21 Psal 106.46 Psal 88.18 Gen. 39.21 And the Children of Israel favour in the sight of the Aegyptians Exod. 3.21 And the Jewes that were in Babel and other places he gave them favour in the sight of all that led them away Captives Psal 106.46 And it is he that taketh away Friends and removes them far from us Psal 88.18 so that in them out of him there is no safe repose for help Secondly Earthly Friends can but befriend us in some particular troubles and wants some in one kinde some in another none in all which is the Reason that we stand in need of a multitude of Friends nor can all our Earthly Friends afford sufficient help in all our necessities There is some choise mercy that God reserveth for himself immediately as peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost and the graces of his spirit which however they are bestowed on us in the means yet without the concurrence of divine grace Gen. 30.1 2. they can do nothing Give me Children saith Rachel to Iacob or I dye Am I in God's stead saith Iacob that I should give thee Children So shouldst thou come to thy best Friend on Earth and say Give me Faith Give me Repentance Give Peace of Conscience must not he answer thee as Iacob did his beloved Rachel 2 King 6.26 27. or as the King did to the woman in the siege of Samaria If God do not help how can I Were it in our power to help you to grace there is not one of you that should this day return home without it It is God only that is able to do all for you Ephes 3.20 Thirdly Earthly Friends cannot befriend us in all Places should they be both able and willing to help us yet they cannot be in all places at once here and there too I may be shut up in close prison banished out of the kingdome cast into a Den of Lyons or be where I cannot send unto my Friend But God is such a Friend as is every where where we are on this side the sea 's or beyond them Jer. 23.32 24. Am I a God at hand and not a far off saith the Lord do not I fill heaven and earth Jer. 23.23 24. When Abraham was called out of his own Country Psal 139.7 8. God went with him when Ioseph was in prion God was with him c. He is a Friend in Court City Country David found him in all places in his meditations Psal 139.7.8 And in all places he is ready to supply our wants No Friend like him Fourthly the friendship of our earthly Friends proves many times vain for every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Psal 39.5 Psal 39.5 And their purposes and promises prove no better they fail us in undertaking for us sometimes above abilities or else through heedlesnesse and forgetfulnesse or other weaknesses frustrating their good intentions If not so yet their breath goeth forth they return to the earth and in that very day their thoughts Psal 146.3 4. which they had of helping and doing us good perish with them Therefore put not your trust in Princes saith David nor in any Son of man Psal 146.3 4. And why not there is no help in them and why no help in them their breath goeth forth they Return to the Earth and their very thoughts do perish Object But it seems by this that no mortall man is to be trusted be he never so able or faithfull Resp Here we must distinguish between that trust we put in men and that we put in God Trust in men is that Credit which one puts in another in our mutuall and wordly dealings spoken of Prov. 31.11 This is Civil Trust in God is the Affiance and confidence of our hearts in him Prov. 31.11 relying upon his providence and promise both for the removing of evil Psal 37.3 1 Tim. 6.17 and bestowing of good spoken of Psal 37.3 1 Tim. 6.17 This is Religious There is a Civil trust due to men who are raised up as means under him to succour us and do us good and that is lawful But it must be subservient to that Religious trust which we are to put in God nor can that be put in any Creature without Idolatry and therefore forbidden to be put in man or in any earthly Creature Now let us come to the Application of the point Use What shall we say to those who in the day of their distresse withdraw their hearts and hopes from the Almighty and put their confidence in the Creature some in one some in another but few there are that make the bosome of God their chiefest refuge and fly to him as to their best Friend in the time of trouble To which of the Saints wilt thou turn said Eliphaz to Iob Iob. 5.1 Iob 5.1 Had he put that Question to a Papist he would readily have answered to St. Sithe for my pursse to St. Loy to save mine horse for my teeth to St. Apoline to St. Iob for the Pox to St. Luke to save mine Ox Fox Martyr to St. Anthonie to save my Swine c. They have Saints enough to turn unto As men do please for every disease they have a Saint particularly Such is the grosse Idolatry of the Church of Rome who set up some such to be prayed unto and put confidence in as never had any true being but were meer Phantasies and Imaginations of mens brain And others such as we may conceive without breach of Charity are damned wretches in Hell And for the best of them who were indeed true Saints on earth and now glorious in Heaven it cannot be done to them without infinite wrong offered both to the Father Son and Holy Ghost Call upon me Psal 50.15 John 16.23 Rom. 8.15 saith God in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 not on that Saint nor this Angel Ask my Father in my name saith Christ and he will give you John 16.23 He is the onely Mediator both of Redemption and Intercession between God and us 1 Tim. 2.5 An the Holy Ghost teacheth us to cry Abba Father Bishop King Rom. 8. Should we take saith one the Pen of a ready writer and begin at Genefis and proceed to the end of the Revelation and note all the Prayers and supplications which are many yet not one that is made to any other then the true God Nor shall we find any Commandement Promise or warrantable example for that practice Indeed we read of a damned wretch in Hell who did addresse himself to Abraham Luke 16.24 Father Abraham said he have mercy on me Luke 16. vers 24. but that example will not affoard them one drop of water to coole the tip of their tongues Jer. 17.5 Others fly to mortall men and rest on earthly meanes in the day of their Calamity They make flesh
their arm and withdraw their hearts from God some relye on great mens favours and put their trust under the shaddow of their wings Isay 7.12 So did Ahaz that wicked King of Iudah who notwithstanding he had protection offered him from the Lord together with a signe such as himself should chuse for the confirmation of his faith in that hehalf yet he would needs put himself upon the King of Ashur whom he hired with his army to be his defence and safeguard Isay 7.18 the hypocriticall Isralitees did fly for succour to Aeygpt and trusted to their horses and chariots because they were many forwhich cause a wo is denounced against them Isay 31.1 And Iudas being in horrour of Conscience Isay 31.1 Math. 27.3 4. runs to the chief Priests who afforded him but small comfort 2 Sam. 16.21 Psal 49.8 Iob 31.24 Others trust to their own wit as did Achitophel 2 Sam. 16.21 or to their wealth or riches Psal 49.8 They say to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence Iob. 31. when alasse neither silver nor gold shall be able to deliver in the day of wrath All these will prove but as butrushes to a drowning man or like the Aegyptian Reed which will not only fail them but pierce them with the splinters and wound them deeply in the end Of all these and others like to these we may take up the Prophet's patheticall exclamation Be astonished oh ye Heavens at this Jer. 2.12 13. and be ye horribly affraid for my people have committed two evils they have for saken me the fountain of living waters and he wed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that will hold no water Ier. 2.12 13. But the sharpest Rebuke belongs to those that fly to Hell for succour and make the Devill that Friend of theirs to whom they have resort in calamitous times Exod. 7.11 1 Sam. 28.7 2 King 1.3 Num. 22.5 Pharoahs he sends to Jannes and Iambres his Magicians Saul to the witch of Endor Ahaziah to Baalzebub the God of Ekron Balaac to Balaam the witch of Pechor A sin ordinary and common to be found even amongst those that professe the Gospel The Jewes could Reason thus John 10.20 He hath a Devil why hear ye him a damnable aspersion cast upon Christ but these fly to the Devil and will hearken to none sooner then to such as have Devils A sinne that we read not in Scripture that ever any godly man fell into but such onely as were given up and forsaken of God Saul did it not before God was gone from him 1 Sam. 28.15 It is expresly forbidden by the Word Levit. 20.6 Levit. 20.6 and severely threatned Death is pronounced by the Law not onely on the witch but seekers to them Deut. 18.10 Deut. 18.10 Let me tell such that it is much better to dye of Gods wounds then be cured with the Devils Salves And let all such as betake themselves to sinfull shifts for procuring themselves safety from troubles or deliverance out of troubles and make the Devil not God their Refuge consider seriously of that they read Isay 28.15 17. Isay 28.15 17. and lay it to their hearts It may be a meanes to awaken them and bring them to Repentance Use 2 And let us be perswaded and directed from the Doctrine delivered to have recourse to God in all our needs and troubles Say with the Psalmist Psal 73.26 Psal 37.26 whom have I in Heaven but thee O Lord and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee None but thee none but thee to whom I fly This that you may comfortably do see first that you make sure your interest in God that he is your Friend and then improve that interest you have in him to your comfort First make sure your interest the meanes we have before prescribed till then you cannot come with boldnesse unto him for help An ill conscience shuns Gods presence and will rather seek to any in time of misery then to God whilst we apprehend a man to be an enemy unto us though we stand in need of him and know that he hath Power to pleasure us yet we shun him 1 King 21.20 1 King 22.8 Gen. 26.27 Judg. 11.7 as Ahab did Elijah and Michajah and will seek to any other rather then to him Did you not hate me and why are you come unto me now that you are in distresse said Isaac to Abimeletch and Ieptha to his Bretheren Such an answer will our misgiving hearts tell us that we should have from God not being our Friend Should we come unto him or say that we apprehend him not as an Enemie but as a stranger to us one with whom we have no acquaintance much lesse Friendship yet this alone will keep us from having any familiar resort unto him in our necessities Should we be told of such a man that is well monyed and hath it lying by him and be advised to go to him for a supply of our want you know what the Plea will be Alass he is a stranger to me one whose face I never saw I dare not make so bold with him pray do you speak a good word for me it may be for your sake he will do much So is it with those that are enemies or strangers to God they dare not come to God themselves Exod. 8.8 1 Sam. 12.19 Acts 8.22.24 but as Pharaoh did they send to Moses to one of Gods Friends and desire him to intreat for them the like did Saul and Israel to Samuel and Simon Magus to Simon Peter But when once we come to make good our interest in God we shall have great encouragement to come unto him and that in a familiar way as one Friend comes unto another So we read Isay 63.16 Isay 63.16 The Church there pleads her interest in God and thereupon expostulates with God and asketh him a reason of his Judgments and after a sort blames him why hast thou done thus to thy people and giveth reasons why he should not be so angry with his people verse 17 18. many such Friendly and familiar passages we have in Scripture that have passed betwixt God and the Godly As Job 13.24 Job 13.24 25. Psal 13.1 44.23 89.46 47. 74.11 25. wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thy enemie So Psal 13.1 89.46 47. Psal 44.23 As if God were a sleep when he should deliver his people 74.11 As though God were slack in releiving his necessities Offer this now to one of your Princes Mal. 1.8 saith the Prophet to the people in another case and see if he will take it So come to any Prince on Earth or great Potentate in such a familiar manner say to him thus I would your Highnesse would awake once and attend my businesse and pluck your hand out of your bosome and execute justice would he take it well although it were from his best
so great and many yet one thing denyed shall so solely possesse their memories that all former kindnesses and favours are cleane lost and buryed in forgetfullnesse when it may be the request made makes not for the good of him that craves it nor for the Credit of him of whom it is craved to condescend thereunto One desiring of Publius Rutilius an unjust request beâ—â—â— denyed said in Indignation Valer. Max. lib. 6. What am I the better for all thy Friendship if thou denyest me this that I desire of thee And what am I the better for thy Friendship said Rutilius if thou desirest that of me which cannot be granted by me without dishonour If thy desires suit not with rectifyed Reason and Religion or are unfitting and beyond the expedience of him who should graunt thee thy desire be not offended with thy Friend but with thy selfe if thou meet with a Repulse the refusall is deserved To think ill of any man for not giving thee what he need not is injustice much more for not giving thee what he ought not But if thou should'st rise higher and for one denyall blot out the remembrance of many benefits that were the heighth of Ingratitude Such dispositions are no way to be liked that will either make unkindnesses and remember them or unmake kindnesses and forget them This is the fault of the Friend without to be reproved The Friend within is faulty in not daring to deny his Friend without any request unto him made be it never so immodest and unreasonable Caius Blossius being demanded by Laelius in the presence of the Romane Consulls what he would have done for his Friend Gracchus answered All things Put case then said Laelius he should have required of thee to have burnt our Temples would'st thou have done it My Friend said Blossius would never have required that of me but if he had I should have done it for his sake Accursed is that Friendship which is so slavish as to refuse nothing which a Friend requireth Amicitia in malo esse non potest Aug. ad Cons be it never so unjust Socrates being advised by his Friend Criton to break prison and save his Life by flight replyed thy earnestnesse my Friend in this matter were much worth if it were consistent with uprightnesse but it not being so the greater it is the more troublesome it is True Friendship is neither fond nor cruell It is an injurious weaknesse to be drawen upon any by-respects whatever to the furtherance of faulty suits and unlawfull actions And it is cruell courtesie to yield to any thing prejudiciall to it selfe or dangerous to the beloved party As 〈◊〉 shewed before in Adoniahs case Consent in sin is Conspirâ—â—â— not Friendship And yet that facile and flexible disposition which like wax is fit for every impression Mr. Tho. Fuller mixt Cont. p. 77. is saith a Reverend Divine esteemed in the world for a good nature but such Osyers saith my Author can never make Beames to beare any stresse in Church or State If this be good Nature let me be a Clowne he cannot be a Friend to any that is a Friend to all and the worst foe to himselfe If the desires of my Friend be such as I know will endanger him or prejudice my selfe and so pleasure neither I should in condescending besides making my self accessary to his fault give him a Scorpion instead of a fish and occasion him in cold blood to say Ille amando me occidit There is a man whose Loving and kind affection wrought my destruction Obj. But denyalls are grievous to generous mindes As it is harsh for a Friend to beg so no lesse to be denyed Resp It is so for in the denyall of a Friends request we reprehend him and implicitely charge him with want of discretion in asking what is not expedient or fit and therefore our denyalls would be given in milde and loving termes and not as Nabal denyed David with a crabid and crosse interrogatory Who is David and who is the Son of Ishai The bitter and malignant quality which denyalls and repulses of a Friend within to his Friend without carry with them would be corrected with loving speeches and milde behaviour So that albeit thou satisfie not thy Friend in his desire yet thou so manifestest thy Love and good Affection to him by Circumstances as that he shall never have just cause to tax thee of unkindnesse So did this Friend within who being loath to satisfie his Friend without in one kinde endeavours to satisfie him in another and renders some plausible reasons to him why he could not give him what he desired of which hereafter Now to the spirituall sense where first observe that God is a Friend within alwayes within Call Myst Doct. He is within in divers respects First in respect of Habitation Our God is in Heaven saith the Psalmist Psal 115.3 That is his home Psal 115.3 Psal 68.5 Psal 113.5 Psal 123.1 there he dwelleth Psal 113.5 68.5 123.1 But this must be warily understood He is not in Heaven circumscriptivè as though he were included within that compasse as bodyes are within the compasse of some place and may be circumscribed with all the Dimensions for this is contrary to his infinite greatnesse which doth fill both Heaven and Earth The Heaven of Heavens is not able to containe it 1 King 8.27 Nor is he within in Heaven Definitivè as though he were no where else As the Angels 1 King 8.27 who though they are not in Heaven circumscriptivè for that they want bodyes and so are not circumscriptible yet they are there Definitivè so as when they are there they are no where else Certaine it is that God is present in every place and bounded within no place He is as truly without the Heavens as he is in them in as much as his infinite essence cannot be conteyned in them He is no where because no place whether Reall Nusquam est ubique est Bern. or Imaginary can comprehend him He is every where because no body no space or spirituall substance can exclude him or avoyd the penetration of his essence David compasses the world Psal 139.7 8. Psal 139.7 8. findes him every where yea he findes him in a strange place a place of our own making which grew out of our Sinns that is Hell If we make our bed in Hell A wofull Inn to make our Bed in yet God is there too and more strangely there then any other place because he is there without any Beame of Light James 1.17 Rom. 15.25 who is the Father of Lights without any beame of comfort who is the Father of all Consolation he is in all places and can be circumscribed in no place Neither of these wayes is God said to be within in Heaven But in Heaven he is said to be Declarativè there and thence declaring his unspeakable glory majesty There he doth
declareth and openeth to man what his will is The former is Voluntas quam Deus vult that will which he willeth us to will and with this his Power doth not alwayes concurr And of that our Saviour speaks Math. 23.37 Both these distinctions look the same way Math. 23.37 Others Answer thus Junius The will of God though it be but one as God is one yet this one will doth exercise and extend it self diversly upon divers objects and is to be considered in divers degrees The weakest and most remisse degree is to will the suffering of evill for though God to speak properly wills not sin yet he willingly suffers it which he could easily prevent and hinder if he would oppose his omnipotent Power which he alwayes doth not The next degree of Gods willing stands in commanding good approving of it where it is found And thus he wills and commands that all men should repent and would not that men should perish and these things he willeth seriously but this will which stands in commanding promising and the like is too often resisted and made ineffectuall by men The highest degree of willing in God is when he so wills a thing as that withall he employes his Omnipotent Power for the effecting of it and by this he doth whatsoever he pleaseth in the Heavens and on the Earth Psal 115.3 Psal 115.3 This Will cannot be resisted And thus he wills the salvation of the elect and workes that in them that he requires of them See then that thou provest what the good and acceptable will of God is towards thee Rom. 12.2 Rom. 12.2 Leave secret things to God enquire into that part of his Will revealed Doth any man put his Son to School to learne what his Master thinks Quis tam stulte curiosus est qui filium suum mittat in scholam ut quid Magister cogitet discat saith Austin Consider how farr God hath engaged himself unto thee by promise what qualifications and conditions he expects to be in thee and from thee and so farr as he hath made known his Will unto thee thou may'st rest upon his Power for that shall not be wanting to effect it Call upon me Psal 50.15 saith God in the time of Trouble and I will heare In all thy troubles inward or outward cry call feare not the Power of God doubt not of it Math. 8.2 but say Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane so if thou wilt thou canst pardon me heare me help me Jam. 4.15 Put in if God will in all thy Resolutions make that good and thou may'st conclude what God seeth to be good for me that he will do what God will do that he can do what God will do and can do that shall be done Therefore what God seeth to be good for me shall be Get but Gods good will and all will be well and get unto Christ and feare not but thou shalt have that Luke 2.14 Luke 2.14 Thus you have heard of the discouragements that we may meet withall in our comming to God but notwithstanding all these we may not be driven off A Friend will not be discouraged saith Christ from comming to his Friend although the Dore be shut c. God is your Friend you are his therefore be not discouraged So then let us take one observation more along with us Doct. Gods Friends should not be driven off from seeking to him by Prayer notwithstanding the many discouragements which they meet withall let the Dore be shut the Children abed an unkind answer given yet nothing should stave them off from calling upon God in the day of their Distresse How was Jchosaphat put to it 2 Chron. 20.12 Psal 44.8 to the end he knew not which way to turne him his Enemyes were many people unable to resist yet his eyes were up to God still 2 Chron. 20.12 So Psal 44. from verse 8. to the end nothing could keep them from seeking unto God Nay albeit the Lord had willed his people not to trouble him and positively told them that he would deliver them no more yet that could not beat them off they would stiâ—l seek unto him as we read Judg. 10.13.15 Instance in David Psal 88 3-14 And in Dan. 6.10 Judg. 10.13.15 Psal 88 3-14 Dan. 6.10 Jon. 2.1 2. Math. 20.30 Mark 10.46 So Jon. 2.1 2. He was in the belly of the deep and in the belly of the Whale and had neither Sun-light nor Candle-light little hope of ever being delivered out of that Prison yet he is there praying We read in the Gospel Math. 20.30 of two blind men one was Bartimeus Mark 10.46 they were rebuked by the multitude but that would not do they hold on and cry out after Christ But amongst all examples none is more remarkeable then that we have Math. 15.22 Math. 15.12 It is set out with an Ecce and so calls upon us for speciall regard A poore Cananite comes to Christ in the behalfe of her Daughter who was possessed with a Devill she instantly beseecheth him prostrate on her knees even in the bowels of compassion to behold her Child her little Child as St. Marke hath it and dislodge that uncleane and raging spirit Mark 7.23 who had taken up her body as a Cabinet to rest in Have mercy upon me ô Lord. She saw her self beaten on her poore Childs back and acknowledgeth her own sin in her Daughters sufferings Have mercy on me thou Son of David thou that wast thy self borne of a woman pitty a woman thou that hast the bowells of a man in thee hide not thine eyes from thine own flesh my Daughter my little Daughter is vexed yea greviously vexed with a Devill and thou our blessed Jesus who cam'st to destroy the workes of the Devil have pitty therefore on this my Child c. Now who would expect any other then a present Answer to so humble and pious a suite yet see what discouragements she meets withall First not a word doth Christ give her Math. 15. verse 23. verse 23. he seemeth to neglect and slight her and a willing neglect saith one layes strong seidge to the best Fort of the soul She was well assured that he heard her for she cryed out she whispered not what might she think Math. 9.12 Is this the Physitian that came into the world to cure the sick and doth he refuse to help his Patient Is this that Fountaine that invites all to come and drink freely John 7.37 John 1.1 and doth he now with-hold water fâ—om the thirsty Colos 2 3. Pro. 9.3 4. Is this the Word and wisdome of the Father which sends the maydens to cry out in the Market places Come unto me and Who is simple let him come Esay 61.1 Luke 4.18 and is he now become dumb Is this he that was sent to comfort the afflicted and will he add Affliction to Affliction by a
i. e. thou wilt arise it is spoken prophetically and have mercy on Sion c. for he will regard the Prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer vers 17. And Isa 33.10 Now will I arise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self that is now that the Enemies of God's People grow so tyrannical and insolent and that my people call on me for help as they did ver 2. The truth of this I might shew you in sundry Examples but I shall not overburthen you with many Cast but your eyes upon the afflictions of God's Church under Pharaohs Tyrannie An Iron Yoak was laid upon their necks to use Moses's expression Deut. 28.48 upon a suspicion of revolting heavy burthens are imposed on them they tread in Mire and Clay Exod. 1.11 and are enforced to serve with rigour so that their lives were made bitter with hard labour ver 12.13 they proceed from burthens to bondage from bondage to bloud from vexation of their bodies to destruction of the fruit of their bodies Midwives are suborned to destroy all their Male-Children they whose Office it was to help the Birth must now murther it ver 15. If they refuse the multitude shall do it ver 22. Cruelty that before but smoaked now breaks forth into a flame and to add to their misery an insupportable task is laid upon them they could neither make straw nor find it yet they must have it and for not doing what was imposed they are made daily to feel the lash of the Whip Exod. 5.12 14. All this while God seemes to be as one asleep holds his peace lets their Persecutors alone The persecuted sigh groan cry and call on God which God heard as before Exod. 2.24 3.7 8 9. And now he ariseth comes to deliver them and being arose Now thou shalt see saith he what I will do to Pharaoh Exod. 6.1 and with a strong hand he delivers them out of the hand of their Oppressours and brings out his people with joy and his chosen with gladness Psal 105.48 Look again upon the state of God's Church in the dayes of Ahashuerosh Ester 3.5 6. Haman had obtained a decree for the slaughter of the Jews the Decree was sealed published the day set and appointed for the execution of it all this while God seems to be asleep he looks on seems to take no notice of it the Jews are greatly perplexed they fast mourn weep lye in sackcloth and ashes they cry out with a loud and bitter cry then God awaketh and ariseth for their help Chap. 5.1 2 3. and being risen awaketh the King Chap. 6.1 causeth him to send for the Chronicles of his time turns him over to the Record of Mordecai's fidelity in discovering a Treason intended against his person by two of his Eunuchs upon which Mordecai is honoured Chap. 9.22 the Decree comes to be disanull'd Haman the Conspirator and his Sons are hanged and to the Jews deliverance is granted for which days of joy and rejoycing are by the Jews celebrated Many other proofs may be brought for confirmation but I shall onely produce one more unto you Math. 23.28 In that History of Christ's Sea-Voyage with his Disciples a great Tempest arose stirred up as some are of opinion by the Devil who questionless would have drowned Christ if he could so that the ship was covered with Waves Christ he was fallen asleep in the hinder part of the ship saith St. Mark that is the stern Nark 4.3 being wearied probably with exercise of his Ministery amongst the multitude on the shore His Disciples being terrified and much afraid thinking their case desperate come to him and awake him with an Out-cry Master save us we perish Christ thus awaked reprehends them for their immoderate fear and the weakness of their Faith Why are ye fearful O ye of little Faith and then rebukes the Wind and Sea charging them even with threatning and menaces to be still upon which followed a great calm to the admiration of all beholders Besides the truth of the story there is a mystery in that passage of Scripture by the consent of all Divines Antient and Modern it sets forth unto us the state of the Church of God militant on Earth resembled unto a Ship wherein Christ and all the Faithful do pass from Earth to Heaven The Sea is the World a very unconstant Element resembled by St. John to a Sea of Glass Rev. 4.6 The great storm and tempest that ariseth is a lively Representation of the great troubles and persecutions Rev. 1.16 which are raised by the Devil and his Instruments against the Church intending the ruine of it Christ his being asleep in this storm sets forth the seeming neglect that he hath of the peace quiet of the Church for the greater manifestation of his power and our patience The crying out of the Disciples sets forth the Prayers of the Faithful who night day cry unto him for the defence of the Church Christ's arising rebuking of the winds intimates his reproving and plaguing of the enemies of the Church The great Calm that follows signifies the peace that the Church and People of God shall enjoy in the end in despight of Sathan and all his adhaerents And thus much for the Confirmation of the Point propounded The Use followes Use If this be thus let not the wicked triumph for when God doth arise his enemies shall be scattered Psal 68.1 and they that hate him shall fly before him and arise he will and not alwayes keep his bed nor close his eyes Oh! what navock do the enemies of Gods people make whilst God seems to sleep Psal 83.2 4 12 94 4 5 6. David tells us Psal 83.2 4 12. Psal 94.4 5 6. and they are encouraged to all this mischief upon a conceit that God is asleep and sees not verse 7. But understand ye bruitish amongst the people Verse 7.8 9. and ye fools when will you be wise he that planteth the ear shall not he hear and he that formed the eye shall not he see Verse 8.9 His eyes behold yea his eye-lids try the Children of men saith the Prophet in another place Psal 11.4 God hath both an eye and an eye-lid God seeth with an open eye saith a reverend Bishop when he discovers a thing at present Psal 11.4 and causeth us also to see it And he considereth with his Eye lid when he winketh at the wayes of men B. B. King Serm. at Whitehall Nov. 5. 16â—8 and maketh as if he slept and taketh leisure and respite before he brings things to light God in the sufferings of his Church and people may be silent for a time as one that seeth not and heareth not but his eyes are at no time so shut but that he sees through his Eye-lids and well considereth the doings of the Sons of men on earth The Master sometimes makes as if
he slept to see what the servant will do when some advantage lyes before him were God alwayes up and did he discover himself in present execution of his Judgments on sinners the thousand part of that Villainy that is daily committed would not be acted Eccles 8.11 And yet God sees and observes Eccles 8.11 through his Eye-lids all the plots and projects all the wrongs and injuries that are offered to his people and although it do not presently appear to us that he did see yet the awakening cryes that his Children make in his ears shall raise him and then he will make it known that he was not so asleep but that he observed all that was plotted and contrived done and acted against them Hear how Christ concludes in that Parable of the poor widdow suing to an unjust Judge Luke 18. 6 7 8. Shall not God avenge his own elect whcih cry day and night unto him though he bear long with them Luke 18.6 7 8. and makes as if he saw not I tell you he will avenge them speedily their prayers will awaken him and when is he arose he will right them and relieve them against all their enemies that wrong and injure them When Noah was awake and knew what Cham had done he curst him for his paines and will God think you blesse you for your deeds Let this restrain you from your wicked wayes you that swear blaspheme reproach slaunder Gods eye sees you at least his Eye lids try you you play with God as Children that play at Blind man Buff do with their fellows and yet if these children perceive that he that they think blinded sees they break off their play he sees he sees say they I le play no more Oh! that you were as wise and would do this in time use 2 Now for the Godly a word or two to you Is God never so fast but being once awaked he is so ready to supply our wants and needs why then be not out of heart and hope under your greatest pressures Great are the miseries that the poor Church of Christ hath groaned under for divers years he is gracelesse senselesse that is not sensible thereof the stormes that we have met withall have bin more then ordinary great tempests we have bin in and yet are not over the Ship is yet full of water which causeth the hearts of experienced Fishermen such as Peter was who having bin used to see storms to cry out they perish All this while our Pilot is in the stern sleeping upon a pillow which causeth us to think hardly of him and to charge him with unkindnesse as if he cared not for us whether we sink or swimm Now what shall we do in this Case Let us with the Disciples run to God by Prayer and awake him they did it very turbulently irreverently as it seems for their fear was great yet Christ blamed them not for that but for their too much fear and too little faith Come then to the Throne of Grace desire God to awake and arise he is willing to be awaked by us and therefore seems to sleep that we may awake him God admitts his servants to this boldnesse with him Princes like it not Should a subject come to the Supreame and say Would your Highnesse or your Majesty would awake once and arise to do such or such a businesse for me or read my Petition would not the Prince conceive just indignation against such a Petition yet God is well pleased that we should thus come unto him and say Awake Lord come and help us If we thus come He will awak nothing sooner awakes a seeming sleepy God then Prayer as you have heard were our God a dead God an Idol God prayer could not do it as we see in the Priests of Baal but of our God we may say as Christ of Lazarus he is not dead but sleepeth onely and that seemingly There is a story goes of a poor man that served God faithfully and yet was cruelly opprest by a neighbouring Knight who took his goods from him and all that little that he had insomuch that he concluded that God was dead and forasmuch as he had formerly found God to be gracious to him albeit now as he thought he was forsaken by him he would make a solemn Funerall for him which when he went about an old man meets him with a Letter and desires him to deliver it into the hands of the oppressing Knight he did so and upon the reading of that Letter the Kt. was so convinced of the wrong done to that poor man that delivered him the Letter that immediately he confest his faults and restored again to him what he had injuriously taken from him which caused the poor injured wretch to forbear any funerall solemnity and to say Now I see that God may seem to sleep but he can never dye Comfort thy self then under thy heaviest afflictions never forsake thy Confidence in thy greatest streights when our faith begins to flag and hang the wing when our strength is gone and we have given up all for lost waken God by thy Prayer and then God will say Now I will arise Now I will be exalted now will I lift up my self Esay 33.10 Esay 33.10 Mans extreamest necessity is God's chiefest opportunity to do us good The Church of God in all ages hath found it true we have heretofore found it true and shall find it true and every Friend of God every believing soul may from his own experience confesse it to be true Let me close up this Use with that of David Psal 102.20 Psal 102.20 He looked down from the height of his Sanctuary from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth To what purpose To hear the groaning of the Prisoner to loose them that are appointed to Death Thus might England say and so I hope God will give us cause one day to say if we do but awaken his old Love and Friendship to us by our Prayers And thus much Gods arising and giving Now it is further said of this Friend that he giveth as many as he needeth not so many as he craved as was from the Letter shewed whence we may take notice both of the wisdom and bounty of God towards his Friends Wisdome in giving what is needful Bounty in giving so liberally as many saith the Text as he needeth of both somewhat Doct. God in giving hath an eye upon the necessities of his servants He looks not so much upon what they ask as upon what they want and accordingly he makes supply See this first in Kinde secondly in Quality Sometimes he giveth the same thing that is craved and granteth the Requests of his servants in the same kind both for the Substance and Circumstance So he gave to Hannah a Son which she begged of him 1 Sam. 1.27 To Solomon Wisdome 1 Sam. 1.27 1 King 3.9.12 Psal 21.4 Exod. 13.21 1 King 3.9 12. to David Life Psal 21.4
must take notice of is our own disability to help our selves Psalm 60.11 and the disability of any other Creature in Heaven or Earth to supply our wants You have heard before that till God be up no Creature can arise to help us David saw this and found this and protests against the expectation of help from any other Creature in Earth or Heaven Psal 73.25 26. Psal 73.25 26. and being sensible of his own inability to help himself and of the inability of any other Creature to supply his need he findes his soul in a sit frame to approach before God verse 28. verse 28. It is good for me to draw neere to God Thirdly of our own unworthynesse to obteyne that we crave Dan. 9 8 9. we must be sensible There is as great a want of worth in the best of us why God should supply our wants as there is of ability in our selves to supply them I am not worthy saith Jacob of the least of all the mercyes and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant Gen. 32.10 I am but dust and ashes Gen. 32.10 Gen. 18.27 Psal 22.6 Pro. 30.2 Math. 8.8 Luke 15.19 Luke 18.14 saith Abraham when he came to speak with God Gen. 18.27 I am a worme and no man saith David Psal 22. I am more brutish then any man said Agur Pro. 30. I am not worthy thou should'st come under my roofe said the humble Centurion Math. 8.8 I am not worthy to be called thy Son said the Prodigall in suing to his Father Luke 15.19 Lord be mercyfull to me a Sinner l aid the poore Publican Luke 18.14 and he it was that went home justifyed rather then that proud Pharisee who boasted of his own worthynesse You see what wants you are to be sensible of when you come to pray Now let us apply this Use 1 I have read of a devout but ignorant Papist and I have heard the like of an ignorant and prophane Protestant who not knowing how to pray as he ought would every morning on his knees repeate the Alphabet A. B. C. D. c and then conclude Lord put all these letters together and of them spell syllables and of syllables make words to make such a sense as thou knowest may be most to thy glory and my good But we have learned better things we must spell our own wants out of the Crosse Row and put them up to Heaven in the name and mediation of his Son by the assistance of his Spirit who will teach us to spel and put together and then God will read them It is a degree of unthankfullnesse to thank God too Generall and not to insist upon the weight and measure and proportion and goodnesse of every particular Mercy so it is an irreverent and inconsiderate thing saith a learned and grave Divine not to take particular wants into our thoughts and into our Prayers that so we may take a holy knowledge that we are worth nothing worthy of nothing have nothing but from God and by Prayer Obj. But God knowes our wants better then our selves Math. 6.8 as our Saviour tells us Math. 6.8 What need we then particularize Resp Christ makes this an Argument against vaine babling but not against praying and from thence stirres us up to an earnest and serious performance of the Duty The truth is we do not make known our wants to God to informe him of that he knowes not but we manifest our obedience and duty unto him in running that course of getting good things which he hath prescribed Jer. 29.11.12 Phil. 4.6 Jer. 29.11 12. Phil. 4.6 and likewise show that we our selves do know albeit not altogether as we ought what it is we stand in need of This is that which is required Use 2 Wherefore take speciall notice of what it is that you stand in need of be more sensible of your wants both Corporall and Spirituall Who is he that complaines not of want yet where is he that complaines aright when we are hungry thirsty cold naked c we make some kind of howling as God speaks of Israel Hos 4.14 Hos 4.14 but therein we are more like beasts then men There is a want in all outward things in riches pleasures and delights of this world Isay 55.2 Isay 55.2 that want we are not sensible enough of much lesse of the want of the graces of Gods Spirit In every power and faculty of the soul there is a great want in every gift and grace of the Spirit as in Knowledge Faith Repentance Love Joy Meeknesse Patience much is wanting And in every duty we perform Publique private we come exceedingly behind hand but where is that he or she that bewailes these wants The Church wants the State wants shall I tell you what what need I A Carpenter in rearing up a Fabrick finding his work not to come home after much knocking asked his Son what it wanted he answered a good workman This is the maine want indeed we are naught starke naught at praying the Lord in mercy mend us then all will be mended but till we are more sensible of our wants there is little hope of our amendment Go to Christ bewaile thy wants confesse thy nothingnesse If he aske thee thy Name say my name is sicknesse thou art a Physitian on blessed Jesus heale me my Name is Lost and thou cam'st to seek such ô blessed Jesus find me my name is want and thou art fullnesse ô blessed fullnesse out of thy store supply me my Name is Beggar and thou art Bounty out of thy bountyfullnesse relieve me Etiamsi non sum dignus nihilominus tamen sum indigens said learned Pomeran Such a kind of begging must be in praying as in imported in the word here used Aske Even as Beggars are wont to beg an Alms in a humble and submissive way Whence we take up this note Doct. What we would have we must crave We must aske as Beggars do an Almes humbly craving it from the hands of God What is prayer but a craving of Blessings from the hands of God in the name of Christ. In some places it is said to be a calling upon God Gen. 12.18.21.33 Psal 4.1 50.15 Phil. 4.6 Gen. 12.8 21.33 Psal 4.1 50.15 but it may not be thought to be such a calling as men make for a due debt but a making known of our Requests to him that is the Master of Requests by humble Petition Phil. 4.6 wherein we renounce all others titles and rely wholly upon his Bounty Thus the Saints when they have come to God have used the Tone of Beggars and observed the Posture of Beggars Psal 119.58 Dan. 9.57 18 19. 2 Tim. 1.18 Exod. 9.19 2 Chron. 6.13 Ezra 9.5 Dan. 6.10 Psal 95.9 Mark 10.7 Luke 22.41 Acts 9.40 20.36 Ephes 3.14 Math. 6.11 David comming to God intreates beseeches Psal 119.58 Daniell putting up his supplication to Heaven beggs for
knew himself said that he was unworthy they held him so but he saw himself better them they Againe it is one thing to deserve of men and another thing to deserve of God Obj. But in Reference to God the Scripture counts some worthy as Luke 21.36 Acts 5.4 2 Thes 1.5 Revel 3.4 Colos 1.10 1 Thes 2.10 Luke 21.36 Acts 5.4 2 Thes 1.5 Colos 1.10 Revel 3 4. Resp Math. 3.8 This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy doth not intend any merit but a meer meetnesse no condignity but a congruity and correspondency to that to which it is referred so Math 3.8 Bring forth fruit worthy of Repentance or meet for Repentance as our translation hath it that is answerable to amendment of Life as the margent render is If in that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy should be taken for any matter of desert it might be thus translated fruits with deserve Repentance that is such as are to be repented of and what fruit those are the Apostle sheweth Rom. 6.21 Gal. 5.19 20 21 Rom. 6.21 A Catalogue of them we have reckoned up Gal. 5.19.20 21. Such fruits as we have cause enough to be ashamed of but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyes to poyse and the Metaphor is taken from things equally poysed Thus when mans inward disposition and outward conversation is answerable to Gods gratious dispensation it is termed in Scripture a worthy walking So then for a fuller Answer There is a twofold worthynesse Acceptable and Meritorious that which merits must be dignitas Aequalitatis as Luke 10.7 the Labourer is worthy of his Hire this is exact Luke 10.7 and may challenge a reward due unto it and the detayner doth wrong and injury to the party that the due is detayned from This the Godly have still renounced Gen. 32.10 Math. 3.11 Gen. 32.10 Math. 3.11 Acceptable worthynesse is that which is called dignitas dignationis The worthynesse of Acceptance when God for Christs sake is pleased to take our actions in good part and worth and so with this kind of worthynesse the Sainrs are said to be worthy not with the other Use The Doctrine of merit then falleth down before this Doctrine as Dagon did before the Arke They of the Roman Church would faine set in up Vulcane in his fiery forge did never sweat more in making Achilles Armour then these do to establish Merit in no one thing do they bestir themselves more busily then in advancing it when there is scarce so much as stumps or scull upon the threshold of Gods house for them to work upon The Nature and Essence of a Merit requires sundry Propertyes The worke we do must be our own wrought by our own strength and not by power ministered by him that rewardeth now all the good we do is from the power of God 1 Cor. 15.10 Isay 26.12 2 Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.13 John 15.5 and his grace enabling 1 Cor. 15.10 He doth all our workes for us Isay 26. both the will and the deed 2 Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.13 without him we can do nothing John 15. Now can we oblige God to us by paying him his own Secondly a Meritorious act must be in our own power to do or not to do such as cannot be challenged at our hands it must not be a due debt but must come from our own free will Can that debtor merit of his Creditor who dischargeth a bond which he was bound under a great penalty to satisfie precisely by such a day But whatsoever we do Rom. 8.12 we do as poore debtors Rom. 8.12 we owe all we are or have to God for our Creation what is there left to pay for our Redemption that was not so cheape as our Creation Indeed we are Banquerouts worse then Debtors Math. 18.25 Luke 17.9 10. Math. 18. See what our Saviour speaks to this point Luke 17.9 10. when we have paid all our debts give God the surplusage and then plead merit Thirdly A meritorious work must be beneficiall to him of whom we would deserve but our best workes are not so our goodnesse extendeth not to God Psal 16.2 Job 22.1 Rom. 11.35 36. he is farr above it Psal 16.2 nor doth he stand in need of any thing that is ours Job 22.1 Rom. 11.35 36. If we serve and worship God as we ought saith Austin the whole benefit thereof accrueth unto our selves and not unto God for no man will say that the Fountaine gaineth any thing by our drinking at it Fourthly A meritorious worke must be perfect and compleate and without exception If a Labourer do not his work sufficiently he cannot in justice demand his hire nor the workman require his price Now our best workes are stayned with imperfections Gal. 5.17 Isay 64.6 Eccles 7.22 Jam. 3.3 Rom. 3.10.12.20 Gal. 5.17 Isay 64.6 Eccles 7.22 Jam. 3.3 Rom. 3.10.12.20 Fifthly It is requisite that a meritorious work be in some sort proportionable to the reward no work nor labour can merit more then in true estimation it is worth The labourer deserveth his Hire but it is such as is correspondent to his pains but no other if he labour but a day doth he deserve the hire of two dayes or a week Now what Comparison can there be betwixt the Glory in Heaven and our works on Earth Rom. 8.18 weigh our sufferings in the ballance Rom. 8.18 with the glory and yet our sufferings for Christ are of greatest weight of all our works but these will be found far too light in comparison of the glory the one is finite the other infinite betwixt which there is no proportion Unto these Defects of our works and Reasons against Merit let us add these Scriptures Dan. 9.9 Rom. 4.5 Dan. 9.9 Rom. 4.5 1 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.8 9. Vega. Bellar. 1 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.8 9. And then tell me what foundation hath this Doctrine upon Scripture And yet a Clerk of theirs dares insolently say Coelum gratis non accipiam He will not take Heaven and happinesse of free gift if he have it not a penny worth for his penny he will none and another tells us Opera bona mercatura regni coelestis that good works are the price of Heaven and another wretched Monke dyed with these words in his mouth redde mihi aeternam vitam quam debes But God will cast out such merit mongers out of his Temple Vse 2 Let this Informe us concerning all the good things we do enjoy they are but Donatives all we hold we hold in Frank Almoigne and no other tenure 1 Cor. 4.7 what hast thou that thou hast not received As if he should say 1 Cor. 4.7 Name any one thing if thou canst so that we have little cause to boast of any thing seeing all Bishop Andrewes Serm. at Spittle from Panem Quotidianum to Regnum caelorum from our Daily bread to the Kingdome of Heaven is
nor Christ for Christs sake So Hos 7.14 Ioh. 6.26 searcely is Iesus sought for Iesus saith Austin Propter te Domine propter te was his Motto so must we seek him as not any other thing as it were him not any other thing besides him nor any other thing before him saith Bernard Some Seek Prov. 2.4 Luke 15.9 Dominus quaerendus est sicut diligendus Hug. Card. Esay 26.9 but not fervently and earnestly they Seek not as for silver Prov. 2.4 not as the woman did for her lost groat Luke 15. as God is to be loved so must he be sought with all our heart with all our soul c. So Esay 26.9 Mary at the Sepulchre was so intent that she minded not the Gardiner Lastly Some Seek not constantly and perseveringly Seek the Lord and his strength Psal 105.4 Luke 2.46 2 Tim. 1.17 seek his face evermore saith David Psal 105.4 Ioseph and Mary continued three dayes Seeking So Onesiphorus sought Paul till he found him out 2 Tim. 1.17 All such seek and misse because they seek amisse And so much for Answer to the Objection Use 1 If then at any time we Seek and find not impute the failing unto your selves and not to God for he never said in vain to any of the house of Iacob Esay 45.19 Psal 9.10 Seek you me Esay 45.19 He never forsaketh them that seek him saith David Psal 19.10 and he will not begin now Vse 2 Wherefore be we encouraged to set our hearts to seek the Lord aright 1 Chron. 22.19 1 Chron. 22.19 Seek what you should Seek Seek where you should Seek Seek when you should Seek Seek as you ought to Seek and rest assured that your labour shall not be in vain 1 Cor. 15.58 you shall find In Seeking for earthly things at mans hands we often faile but if we Seek the best at Gods hands we alwayes Speed We may go to the Physitian and Seek health but meet with Death we may go to the Lawyer and Seek for Law and Justice and meet with Injustice and Oppression we may Seek to Friends for kindnesse and favour and finde enmity and hatred from them All that Seek to men speed not though their requests be never so just and honest as we find Luke 18.1 But whom did God ever send away with a sad heart that sought him sincerely Suetonius reports of Titus that he was wont to say that none should go away from speaking with a Prince with a sad heart God likes it not that we should go from him with a dejected spirit it is our own fault if we do Ezra 8.22 Lament 3.23 Psal 34.10 Psal 9.10 Amos 5.6 The hand of the Lord is with them for good who seek him Ezra 8.22 He will be good to that soul Lament 3.23 They shall want no good thing Psal 34.10 Never be forgotten Psal 9.10 But they shall live for ever Amos 5.6 To conclude with that of Berward It is more easy for Heaven and Earth to passe away than that he who so seeketh as he should should not find that so asketh should not receive that so knocketh should not have it opened to him And that is the last branch I am to speak of Text. Knock and it shall be opened unto you And here as in the former we have the thing enjoyned Knock. And the promise made It shall be opened unto you we begin with the First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cornibus ferio à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Od. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knock ye A term that imports more vehemency then either of the former It is a Metaphor taken from the Oxe or some other strong necked beast which runneth with the Horne against any thing with force and violence and gives a great blow unto it Such a holy kind of violence must be offered at the gate of Heaven by our prayers if we would have it opened unto us bare asking is not enough Seeking not sufficient unlesse we so ask so seek as that we Knock withall in our asking and seeking Something is implyed in this term as well as imported that implyed is that Doct. Heaven hath a Door A Door or gate we know is properly that whereby an enterance is made into some house City or other place and serves to let in some and keep out others Thus Metaphorically Heaven is said to have a door or gate Gen. 28.17 Psal 24.7 Math. 7.13 Luke 13.25 28. Revel 4.10 21.12 22.14 Acts 10.11 Revel 4.1 19.11 Acts 7.56 Luk. 13 25.2â— Math. 25 1â— Gen. 28.17 Psal 24.7 Math. 7.13 Luke 13.25 28. Revel 4.10 21.12 22.14 Which gates are not literally to be understood but Mystically pro modo intrandi for the manner of Entrance that door those gates are those passages whereby we enter and are admitted This Door doth sometimes open to let in some and is kept shut against others St. Peter saw them open in a vision Acts 10.11 So did St. Iohn Revel 4.1 191.11 St. Steven saw them open visibly and sensibly Acts 7.56 And as it opens so it shuts Luke 13.25 28. Math. 25.10 It keeps out as well as le ts in And it is a large two leaff'd Door Revel 3.8 Per portam Ecclesiae intramus ad portam Paradisi Aug. Serm. de temp 136. 2 Pet. 1.11 the one leaf of it is Grace the Grace of Regeneration and Adoption by this we make our first entrance into Heaven and that in this Life sealed and confirmed unto us in our Baptism which is the Sacrament of our Admission into the visible Church the Suburbs of Heaven and the more we abound in grace the more abundantly do we enter 2 Pet. 1.11 The other Leaffe of this Door is Glory Math. 25. Math. 25.10 No passage to Glory but by Grace and into it our souls shall enter at the day of Death Luke 16.22 23 43. Luke 16.22 23 43. And at the day of Judgment we shall be admitted both in body and soul to enter in with Christ Colos 3.4 Thes 4.17 and Reign with him in Glory Colos 3.4 1 Thes 4.17 Reas The ground of this is laid down Heb. 10.19 20. The High Priest entred into the Holy of Holies Heb. 10.19 20. with the blood of Beasts Now we have free entrance into Heaven it self which is the Truth and Substance of that shaddow through the precious blood of Iesus Christ He is that new and ever living way ordained and consecrated for our only passage into glory Man by his transgression was not onely excluded the Earthly Paradise but the Heavenly Heaven was by it fast shut against him and Hell set wide open for him but God in mercy pittying mans misery â—ent his Son to satisfie his Justice for mans disobedience Sanguis Christi clavis Paradisi Hier. and by satisfying and obeying in our behalf to open Heaven again for us which he did exactly so
we have it in our English Liturgy when thou didst overcome the sharpnesse of Death Aditum per vulnera pandit thou didst open the Kingdome of Heaven to all Believers Thrice were the Heavens opened to him whilst he was on Earth Math. 3.16 Math. 17.5 Acts 1.9 Once in his Baptism Math. 3.16 The second at his Transfiguration Math. 17.5 And the third at his Asscenston Acts 1.9 Which visible Scissures and patefactions were figures of our invisible enterance and that it was made by Christ alone For as St. Iohn speakes of opening the Book No man neither in Heaven nor Earth Revel 5.3 Joh. 14.6 Joh. 10.7 Revel 3.7 Revel 1.18 nor under the Earth was worthy not able to open Heaven for us in which regard he is said to be the Way Ioh. 14.6 and the Door Iohn 10.7 and to have the Key of David Revel 3.7 yea of Death and Hell Revel 1.18 Vse Let such take notice of this Doctrine as think it an easie matter to enter into Heaven 1 Cor. 6 10. Revel 21.8 22 15. albeit they finde themselves amongst those mentioned in the black Catalogue 1 Cor. 6.9 19. Revel 21.8 22 15. whom God hath threatened to exclude yet they make but a tush at all as if they had power to enter whether God will or no at pleasure It is true that Heaven hath a Door but a door that stands not open to all Commers so as that who so will may enter when he will without knocking It is a Door that hath a Lock belonging to it albeit a spring-lock which we can shut upon our selves but not open again at pleasure it is the hand within that must do that Nor is there any other way to enter then by the Door The wall is said to be great and high there is no climbing over that Revel 21.12 Math. 6.20 Revel 21.12 Nor is there any breaking through Math. 6.20 Nor is there any window to creep in at The excellency of Heaven is wonderfull and secret God will not open a window for the eye of his own they may not be prying in too far into his secrets A Door indeed he hath prepared for the foot a passage for the soul both whilst it is in the body in holy thoughts fervent prayers and when it passeth out of the Body at the day of Death but yet so as that Door cannot be opened neither by force nor fraud no Pick-lock nor Golden-key can do any thing here Bribery unlocks the gates of Hell but not the Door of Heaven Nor will St. Peters keyes which the Pope pretends to have fit the wards of that Lock These keyes that hang at the Pope's girdle are the keyes of the bottomlesse pit Revel 9.1 Revel 9.1 not of the gates of this Celestial City Pope Leo being much troubled in his Conscience for sin was cheared up by his Confessor after this manner Quid times sancte Pater c. what makes you thus affraid most holy Father you have the keyes of Heaven and the merit of Christ at your dispose Oh! said Leo this you know that he who sells any thing hath no right in that he sold I fear since we have so often sold Heaven that we shall have no right nor interest therein our selves nay the very Angels of Heaven those Celestiall spirits though they be able to penetrate all things under Heaven yet are they not able by their own power to enter that body without leave no more then they are able to enter into the body of one another The Empyrean Heaven where God and all his blessed ones inhabit eternally gives way to these Messengers by the power of God when they are sent otherwiâ—e they could not passe in or out And shall any wicked Liver think to get in without Gods leave Oh desperate folly Use 2 Secondly what cause have we to magnifie the riches of Gods goodnesse to us wretched sinners who being without hope by reason of sin ever to enter into Heaven either in soul or body there being a brook in the way a torrent of wrath and curses betwixt us and it yet was pleased in giving his Son for us to dry up that torrent and drink up that wrath so that we may passe over it Psal 110.7 as Israel did over Jordan and not be swallowed up so making that possible to us through Christ which through sin was altogether impossible Hos 2.15 Had there bin no Door of Hope as we see there is we had bin the most wretched and miserable of any of the Creatures that God ever made but this may stay our sinking hearts and raise up our drooping spirits It is possible it is possible to enter into Heaven there is a Door and a Door to open Clavus penetrans Clavis aperiens saith Bernard the nailes that fastned him to the Crosse are the key that unlockt it An entrance a passage is made for our Prayers so that they may come into Gods presence and a passage for Gods blessings to come to us A passage from man to God from Earth to Heaven by the Prayer of Faith And a passage again from God to man whilst he heareth Prayer and showreth blessings upon our heads sending down his Holy spirit into us and his Holy Angels to attend upon us even in this Life and at the day of Death A passage for our souls too which if we commit to God in well doing we need not doubt but have comfortable assurance that albeit our bodies be interred in the earth for a time Eccles 12.7 yet our spirits shall return to God that gave them And at the last day a passage will be found both for body and soul into that Heaven whither Christ our head is already ascended and be for ever entertained in that house and within those Doors ubi non intrat inimicus ubi non exit amicus saith Austin where neâ—er any that hates thee shall get to thee nor any that loves thee part from thee Let us often think of the Door and be careful to find the Door get a knowledg of Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 2.2 Acts 4.12 and him crucified there is no other name under heaven to be saved by but by that name He is the way the Truth and the Life If we know not him we do but grope as the Sodomites struck with blindness for the Door but shall not find it God by his word and spirit calls upon you come up hither Revel 4.1 Follow that call it will bring you to the Door and being come knock as we are willed by our Saviour Reve l. 4.1 and knock with violence So much as I have said the word imports and giveth us to understand that Doct. There is a Holy violence to be offered at the gate of Heaven Having found the door it is not enough to call or ask Ho who 's within there Nor to rap easily and gently there must be a bouncing as we use to
speak with the hand too we must lay on with all our might if we look to be admitted The Kingdom of Heaven saith our Saviour suffers violence and the violent take it by force Math. 11.12 which words Math. 11.12 albeit in a more peculiar manner are to be understood of that confluence of people who with great eagernesse followed after Iohns Ministery yet it is applyable to this Duty of Prayer and to all other meanes whereby the Kingdom of Heaven is sought in the using whereof a religious violence is to be shewed in the zealous performance thereof This is explained by a Parallel place Luke 16.16 The kingdom of Heaven is preached Luke 16.16 and every man presseth into it No better way then by Prayer added to Preaching do we presse into that kingdom This Holy violence the Saints of God have used in their Prayers What think you of Nehemiah when he prayed himself pale Neh. 2.6 of Daniel when he prayed himself sick Neh. 2.6 Dan. 8.17 1 Sam. 1.14 Dan. 8.17 of Hannah when by reason of the unusuall motion of her lips old Ely judged her to be drunk 1 Sam. 1.14 Preces fundimus Coelum tundimus misericordiam extorquemus as was said of Christians in Tertullians dayes they did not only beseech but besiedge God But of this importunacy in Prayer we have before spoken therefore here the lesse shall serve yet give leave to shew you how we must knock and with what at the gate of mercy It is said of the wicked they work wickednesse with both hands i.e. earnestly and industriously with all their strength Mich. 7.3 Mich. 7.3 so must we knock with all our strength with both hands one hand is not enough to knock withall we must knock with both hands and both littlee now The hand of the soul and the hand of the Body the hand of Faith and the hand of a godly life The hand of the inward and the hand of the outward man for as the Outward man is furnished with members eyes ears hands c. so is the Inward likewise in a spirituall sense both must be imployed The hand of the soul is Faith A strong hand indeed when that knocks God soon heares indeed it will be heard before it leaves rapping It knocks with Authority and presents God's Promises as his own hand writting and obligation As Thamar did to Iudah his bracelet and his signet saying Discern I pray thee whos 's these are Gen. 38.25 It brings us with boldnesse to the gates of Heaven Heb. 10.19 Ephes 3.12 Psal 116.10 Jam. 1.6 1 John 5.14 Lament 3.41 Psal 142.3 Esay 1.15 Heb. 10.19 Ephes 3.12 Psal 116.10.11 Nor will it take a deniall This is required Iam. 1.6 1 Iohn 5.14 And with this hand hath the Faithful knocked at the gate of mercy as Scripture shewes abundantly The other hand we must knock withall is the outward or bodily hand Lament 3.41 Psal 141.3 Nor may this hand be a polluted or defiled hand such a hand shall be rappt Nor will God regard the knocking of it Esay 1.15 Should a Subject offer up a supplication to his Soveraign with a hand wreaking in the blood of the Prince the Son of the King can be look to speed No! this hand must be washed in Innocencie 1 Tim. 2.8 pure hands they must be that we knock withall 1 Tim. 2.8 A vertuous and godly Life Knocks aloud Acts 10.31 Semper orat qui semper bona facit good workes as well as good words have a loud cry The vices of Sodome did cry and the Alms of Cornelius did knock and call As Prayer is vocall so it may be actuall we may do prayers as well as think prayers or speak prayers In doing the Duty of your vocation you knock with the hand in mortifying the lusts of your flesh you knock with the hand c. In the first of the Revelation Revel 1.12 verse 12. we read that St. Iohn looked back to see a voice and if that were proper then it is not unlikely that God will look down to hear a work And thus you have heard that we must knock and how we must knock Now a word of Use Vse How happy would it be with us if we would offer more violence at the gates of Heaven There is knocking rapping at the gates of Hell a kind of violence offered at those Infernal Doors Now knocks the Blasphemer Esay 64.7 by his blasphemy presently another c. But who stirrs up himself to take hold upon the Lord On Earth likewise there is violence offered Psal 55.9 58.2 Esay 59.6 Jer. 6.7 54 46. Ezek. 7.11 23. Mich. 6.12 Amos 3.10 Obad. 10. Hab. 1.23 Mal. 2.16 Jer. 23.10 David complains of it Psal 55.9 58.2 You weigh the violence of your hands in the earth Instead of weighing all things by Justice they weighed matters according to the violence of their passions they weighed out wrong for right All the Prophets complaine of this violence Esay 59.6 Ier. 6.7 51 46. Ezek. 7.11 23 Mich. 6.12 Amos 3.10 Obad. 10. Hab. 1.23 Mal. 2.16 There is enough and too much of such violence to be found amongst us but such violences are evil and their force not right Jer. 23.10 But how little is there of this holy violence offered at the gates of Heaven Alas for us we strive not in prayer we knock not so as to be heard we are like him of whom the Poet speaks who moved his lips in prayer as if he were fearfull to be heard Labra movet metuens audiri Aug. Cons Lib. 8. c. 7. As Austin acknowledgeth he used to do before his Conversion Callidus a Roman Orator pleading a cause very faintly without any shew of Affection Tully told him that surely he was but in jest and not in earnest for if he had bin so the tyde of his Affection would have bin up It is a shrewd Argument that such as knock gently at the gates of Heaven do not indeed desire to be heard of God Vse 2 Wherefore see that you imploy your hands as well as your tongues in prayer think not that the strength of one hand will do it put to the strength of both knock hard Christ speaking of his Church compareth it to Pillar of smoak arising from the most rich and pleasant Composition of Myrrh and Frankincense and other pleasant Odors Cant. 3.6 Cant. 3.6 Our Prayers are like these Pillars of smoak which ascend out of the wildernesse of this world but this smoak must arise from the sweet perfume of Myrrh and Frankincense By Frankincense some understand the burning fervency of the affection when as an enflamed heart seeketh and by Myrrh they understand mortification and dying unto sin Now that holy perfume of the Tabernacle which God appointed to be made of pure Myrrh and Frankincense to which it may be conceived Solomon alludeth was to be taken of each like weight Exod.
was at hand the Emperour lights from off his horse and stepping before his Army and in the sight of the Enemy falls down prostrate on the earth crying our Ubi est Deus Theodosii where is the God of Theodosius whereupon there arose such a mighty winde that it blew the darts of his Enemies upon themselves in such a wonderfull manner that Engenius with all his hoast were utterly discomfited who seeing the power of God so to fight against them were forced in effect to say as the Aegyptians did God is in the Clouds and fighting for them In latter times we read that Henriens Anceps the Emperour of Germany Bucholcer Chronol upon the prayers of his Soldiers they crying out with a loud voice Kyrie eleison Kyrie eleison Lord have mercy upon as Lord have mercy upon us flew and put to flight a mighty Army of the Hungarians by whom he was in danger to be worsted And we in this Land can bring in our Testimony amongst many other that great deliverance in Eighty eight from our enemies which must needs be ascribed to the fruit and powerful effect of prayer which was then put up to Heaven in that behalf nor doth it want the Testimony Spec. Belli Sacri p. 182. of the enemies of the Church we read of the Angronians a poor people in France that worshipped God sincerely amidst a whole kingdom of Papists that when as they saw the enemy to approach they would cry altogether for aid and succour to the Lord whilst the Soldier fought without the rest of the people within Fox Martyr 883. with their Ministers put up their hearty prayers to Heaven and that from the morning untill the evening Insomuch that the popish Soldiers that went against them told their Commanders that the Ministers of that Town with their prayers conjured and bewitched them so as that they could not fight And the Queen-Mother of Scotland was sometimes heard to say Spec. Bel. Sac. that she more feared the fastings and prayers of John Knox Fox Mart. Vol. 1.151.182.298 and his Disciples then an Army of thirty thousand men such is the power of prayer against the force and fury of men be they never so many or mighty Other instances might be produced but I shall referr my Reader to Fox Mart. nor hath it power onely over Heaven and Earth but over Hell too Thus our Saviour telleth his Disciples being to deal with Spirituall Powers that some Devils were so strong that they could not be cast out but by fasting and prayer Math. 17.21 Math. 17.21 Importing that fasting and prayer is able to cast out the stoutest and sturdiest Devil whatsoever We read of a young man that had yeilded himself body and soul to the Devil Acts and Mon. 788. for money and had written the bond with his own blood upon the prayers of Luther and some others in his Company the Devil was forced to come and throw in the obligation amongst them Acts and Mon. 788. In the Life of Basil we have a story that the Devil appeared to a Penitent Sinner being at his prayers and told him If you will let me alone I will let you alone meddle not with me and I will not meddle with you he found that by the prayers of that good soul God had weakened his power not onely upon that man who prayed but upon others too therefore he was content to come to a cessation of armes with him that he might turn his forces another way Athanasius telleth us that the hearty recitall of the first verse of the Psal 68. would make all the Divels in Hell to quake All conclude with Chrysostome that Prayer is Flagellum Daemonum that wherewith we lash and scourge them And thus you see the prevalent power of Prayer over Heaven Earth and Hell It opens for us the Golden gates of Heaven they will not keep it out it flings open the iron gates on Earth yea the brazen gates of Hell so that they cannot keep us in Let us not have this key to seek when we should use it at every to turn it do but turn it the right way no door can stand closed against it To Conclude Eras Adag ex Lucia The Athenians had a great Anchor which they called the holy Anchor c. and this they were accustomed to cast out when they were in greatest danger at Sea Prayer is to us as this Anchor A great storme is arose and yet increaseth the ship is like to be overwhelmed with waves Now cast out this great Anchor c. Oh! that we were more Aboundant in this duty then I would not doubt but that God would change the face of this our English nation and not only wipe blood from the Body but teares from the eyes of this poor Church his disconsolate and afflicted Spouse We have done with the severall Acts enjoyned and with Promises to each annexed But yet me-thinks something should be spoken to the Copulative And which hand-fasts the one unto the other mans Duty and Gods Bounty our Practise and Gods Promise Ask And then it shall be given you Seek And then you shall find Knock And then it shall be opened unto you The condition is premised and the Reward is thereupon promised Do your part and then God will do his each Promise is made to each Act with Implication If you Aske not you have not if you seek not you find not if you Knock not it will not be opened unto you You see then how Doct. Evangelicall Promiseâ— are propounded to us with Iff's and And 's they are to be understood with a Conditionall clause In both Covenants the Promises run thus Do this and live saith the Law Luke 10.28 Levit. 18.5 Luke 10.28 Levit. 18.5 Acts 16.31 Beleeve and thou shalt be saved saith the Gospell Acts 16.31 we might abound with proofs I shall only commend theâ—e few unto you Gen. 4.7 Ezek. 18.21 John 11.40 13.17 Rom. 8.13 10.9 2 Pet. 1.10 Quest Doth not this confound Law and Gospel Resp In both Conditions are required but with difference The Law admits no qualification every one must exactly performe the condition in his own Person But the Gospel requires the condition with dispensation for many faylings it gives favour and passeth by infirmityes upon confession and prayer at the throne of grace it accepts of a surety and of weak endeavours which the Law doth not Obj. But Evangelicall Promises run generally without exception Isay 55.1 John 7.37 Math. 11.28 Resp Isay 55.1 John 7.37 Math. 11.28 Obj. Though they are in generall without exception yet they are not absolute without condition they are generall that none may dispaire but yet conditionall that none may prefume thus John 3.16 Life is offered upon condition of Faith John 3.16 Ezek. 18.21 22. Math. 11.28 Mark 13.13 and Ezek. 18.21 Pardon of sin upon condition of Repentance and Math 11.28.22 Rest and refreshment