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
the Trinity but that he should not believe the Trinity so may we say concerning that mystery as grounded upon this Text. But withall he tells us that we must not proceed alike in disputation with Adversaries that deny the Truth and in teaching and exhorting a Religious Auditory that do already believe the Truth There are places of Scripture for direct proofs and there are places to exercise our meditations and devotions in things for which we need not any new proofe When we dispute against the enemies of the Church sollid and firm arguments must be brought otherwise they laugh at us Alia ratio disputandi contra adversarios c. and are rather confirmed in then reclaimed from their errors but in dealing with those who are Friends unto the Truth we are content to use similitudinary and comparative Reasons to exercise devotion as in military exercise we content our selves with a foyle and make not use of a sharp sword He instanceth in St. Paul who after he had proved the Doctrine of Faith Dialectically and Logically to confute Adversaries Gal. 4. and used a sharp sword to that purpose he addeth an Allegory as a foyle to make that which was true in it self more evident and more acceptable Nobis autem jucunda sunt Trinitatis vestigia in creaturis ibid. And indeed it is a lovely and religious thing saith a great Scholler and learned writer of our times agreeing therein with Luther to find out vestigia Trinitatis impressions of the Trinity in as many things as we can It is the confession of a Trinity which distinguisheth us from Turks and Jewes and therefore the beames of it would be discerned in as many things as we may for the refreshing and cherishing of that Faith we professe in it And the knowledge and Faith we have of it would be awakened and quickened by all good meanes that are afforded us either from the Scripture or from the Creatures and so that beame of the Trinity which this Text affords us may be made use of and higher I dare not carry it upon this ground Qui autem sunt isti tres panes nisi mysterii caelestis alimentum Aug. de verb. Dom. Scr. 29. And yet although that great mystery of the Trinity cannot safely be concluded from the three Loaves mentioned in my Text other heavenly mysteries happily may as the nourishment of our souls by the graces of Gods Spirit which our Saviour seemes to intimate verse 13. Others more particularly understand thereby the bread fish and egg afterwards mentioned by our Saviour Others Faith Hope and Charity Some understand thereby Grace working co-working consummating but herein we may be over-curious It is probable that by these three Loavs may be shadowed out the three sorts of Bread that the Scripture mentions Doctrinall Ioh. 6.26 Sacramentall 1 Cor. 11.28 and Eternall Iohn 6.48.50 However we may inferr from hence that Doct. The souls nourishment is to be sought after Read Isay 55.1 2. Iohn 6.27 1 Pet. 2.2 This the Apostle prayes for so often in the behalfe of others Isay 55.1 2. John 6.27 1 Pet. 2.2 1 Tim. 1 2. Grace Mercy and Peace And this food say some of the Ancients Christ directeth us to pray for in that petition Math. 6.11 taking bread there Math. 6.11 in a spirituall and mysticall sense for that bread of life which is the word of God wherewith Christ ' s flock must be fed John 6.26 27. John 6.26 27. or Christ himself who is that Bread which came down from Heaven as he tells the Jewes verse 33.35.48 Iohn 6.33.35.48 which bread we eate in the Sacrament by a true and living Faith These sorts of bread may be included albeit not principally intended Reas The soul hath its decayes as well as the Body and is subject to hunger and thirst as well as the body and stands in as much need of daily repaire as the body doth and her leannesse and faintings wants and pinings which she is subject unto are no lesse dangerous then those of the body Therefore it is necessary to have a speciall regard of the souls nourishment as well as of the Bodye's Obj. But the Soul is Spirituall what then can bread do for the nourishment of that Resp In all kind of nourishment there must be an Assimilation Bodyes feed not on spirituall things nor Spirits on Corporall but bodyes are susteyned by things bodily and spirits by things spirituall now that Bread that must be craved for the soul is Bread from Heaven spirituall food Christ is Bread John 6.35 Iohn 6.35 he is the souls nourishment the graces of his spirit are Bread Isay 55.2 The Ordinances of God are Bread Isay 55.2 Pro. 9.5 Job 23.12 Pro. 13.10 Come eate of the Bread and drink of the Wine that I have mixed Pro. 9.5 so Iob. 23.12 Psal 19.10 This the Godly have found their food and sweeter then any earthly food could be Use 1 The great neglect of seeking after these Loaves for the soul's nourishment is to be lamented we are sensible of the want of the body but senslesse of the soul's wants The Bread of Life the food of our souls is to many of us 2 Sam. 19.35 as Barzillai his bodily food was to him it hath no taste nor relish Hath thy Servant any tast in that he eateth said he to David So it may be said of Gods Ordinances we relish them not Nay some will not eate they will not taste at all but famish their souls willfully to death Had the souls of divers of us present but a grate to look through and did we behold them with a spirituall eye would not their hollow eyes swarthy skin lank entralls dry bones astonish us would not that lamentable cry which the soul makes for bread like a Prisoner out of a grate Bread for Christ his sake Bread move you to have compassion on it Not one bit of bread dost thou put into the mouth of this thy soul from one Sabbath to another and when thou givest it any one meale thou think'st enough for it and that is but a grudg'd one too so much you give it and no more than may help it to a lingring death Though thou beest not sensible of other wants yet pitty the starved condition of thine own poore soul Use 2 Oh that men would do so and be more sensible of their spirituall wants 2 King 7.3 Why sit we here said the Lepers that sate in the gate of Samaria untill we dye i.e. be starved for want of food so say I in this case why sit you still and suffer your souls to perish Time was when we had sharp Appetites after Gods ordinances we would ride we would run no let should hinâ—er us from Gods house if God did not let us and then as those we read of 1 Sam. 14.32 1 Sam. 14.32 we would fly upon the spoyle and not stand upon ceremonies no matter for a
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
God and Heirs of Grace Thirdly it brings much comfort to Governours when those under their charge become Religious 3 Epist Joh. 4. Prov. 10.1 23 24 25. 1 Thes 2.20 the comfort and contentment of a mans life lies much in his Family Ye are our joy and Crown of rejoycing said Paul in another case 1 Thes 2.20 so may Governours say of a Religious and well governed Family But on the other side loosness and disorder in a Family makes the lives of the Governours thereof to be very uncomfortable so the rude and untoward behaviour of the Wives of prophane Esau Gen. 27.46 did vex the souls of Isaac and Rebeckah Gen. 27. ult so Prov. 17.21 19.13 the same of Servants Fourthly the great account that Governours are to make to God for the neglect of their Duties herein should make them the more careful Our Servants and our Children are not our own Ezek. 16.20 but Gods Ezek. 16.20 they are born to him and must be educated and brought up for him You are but Gods Deputies and govern for him All the power that thou canst challenge in thy Family is subordinate we trust our Servants with our goods and God trusts us with their souls and he hath given a strait charge unto us of every one that comes under our Roof not much unlike that in the Parable 1 King 20.39 Look to this man if by any means he be missing thy life goes for his life So look to this thy Child 1 King 20.39 thy Servant if he be wanting or missing if his soul perish through thy negligence thy soul dies for his Thus Ely was charged with the sins of his Children 1 Sam. 2.29 1 Sam. 2.29 And as you know many a man is undone by Suretiship But if you can say at the last day Here am I O Lord Isa 8.18 Joh. 17.12 and the Children that thou hast given me or as Christ in that Prayer of his I have lost none of them that thou hast given me but that Sonne of perdition which was lost before this will further our Account to our endless comfort And thus in many respects if we love our selves we should teach our Families to be Religious Fifthly and lastly the tender love and compassion that we bear at least pretend to bear to those that are under our charge should put us upon the Duty Ecclus. 33.29 If thou have a faithful Servant said the Sonne of Syrach let him be unto thee as thy own soul The soul is near and dear to us I am sure it ought to be Now he that loves his soul will have a care to teach and instruct that soul so should those Governours have a care to instruct and teach their Families that love their Families Meat Drink Apparel and other necessaries of Nature are not more needful for their bodies preservation then holy Instruction is for their souls salvation Thus you see what Reason you have to do as you from Christs example are here taught to do viz. to take care that those under your charge be taught Religion and instructed in the wayes to Heaven Use 1 The want of this care in Governours cannot be enough lamented What Master or Governour of a Family is there that treads in our Saviours steps and makes Conscience of instructing those under their charge and Command in Religious Duties Cyprian brings in many Children pittifully complaining against their Parents for want of Instruction And the like complaint methinks in these dayes I hear sounding in mine eares made by many Families against their Governours Alasse what have we done that we are thus miserably tormented The negligence or treachery or misguided zeal of our Parents and Masters have brought all this misery upon us They have proved our Murtherers who should have bin our Instructers they have deprived us of the wholsom nourishment of the word gave us a Scorpion instead of a fish they have plunged us in the myre of sensual pleasures when they should have dipped us in the sacred Laver of Regeneration they kept us from God our Father and the Church our Mother Had they bin godly we might have bin everlastingly happy The reason of this great neglect ariseth partly from Ignorance partly from Carelesness partly from Pride partly from Prophaness It is a true saying Ignorantia Judicis est calamitas innocentis and it is also true that Ignorantia Domini est calamitas servi yet Ignorance is all the plea that some have for the omission of their dutie call upon them to teach and instruct their families and break unto them the bread of life they answer in effect as the widow of Zarephta did Elijah when he asked of her a morsell of bread 2 King 17.17 As the Lord liveth I have not a cake but a handful of meal in a barrel and a little oyle in a cruse and behold I am gathering two sticks that I may go in and dresse it for me and my son that we may eat and dye I can say the Lords prayer the Creed the ten Commandements and what I can say I teach them albeit I understand not the meaning of them as for other points of Religion I am to seek therein my self how then should I instruct others If this that I do will not serve the turn they must dye or do as God shall please But as Christ said to Nicodemus John 3.10 so may I to thee Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things Hast thou entered into a marryed estate art thou become a father or master of a family hast thou children and servants under thy command and yet art ignorant of the first principles of Christian Religion A shameful excuse Marriage was not ordained altogether for Procreation but for Education and Regeneration of Children This world might be filled full enough of Children though there were no marriage but Heaven could not be filled nor the place of fallen Angels supplyed without the care of religious Education which from parents in lawfull marriage they are likelyest to receive and God expects that from them they should receive it And art thou ignorant This thou speakest to thy shame that so speakest Others have knowledge enough themselves and are able to instruct their families Acts 1â— 17 but they are of Gallio's opinion and temper imagining that matters of Religion belongs not to them to teach but to Minister To Church they bring their family and that 's as much as is required of them as they think And it is well done in doing so â— Sam. 1.21 Elkanah did the like 1 Sam. 1.21 and I could wish that more of us would do as much but I must further tell you that this is not enough were this all that is required of Houshold Governors why did the Apostle send women to learn at home of their Husbands Believe it every Governour of a family is as deeply charged with the souls of those who are
prayes not for the Love of such is but carnall be it Husband Wife Parent Child c. These pretend Love but when did you goe to God in the behalfe each of other To use the words of Dalilah how canst thou say thou lovest me c So may the Wife say to the Husband the Child to the Parent c. when thou dost not this thing for them Prayer private as well as publique is required Math. 6.6 Judg. 16.15 Math. 6.6 Si pro te solo pro te solus orabis si pro omnibus rogas omnes pro te regabunt Ambros But we may be too too private in our Prayers when we pray not only by our selves which is commendable but when we pray only for our selves or those in neare relation to us The Athenians would offer sacrifice for their own Citty and Neighbours of Chios but for no other and I have heard of one whose usuall Prayer was God blesse my Father and Mother Brothers and Sisters and none else to whom one that heard him answered It were better the Devil had thy Father and Mother Brothers and Sisters none else but this is uncharitable And Bellarmine tells us of a desperate Advocate in the Court of Rome who being exhorted on his death-bed to make his peace with God made this speech Lord I have a word to say to thee not for my selfe Bellar. de arte mor. lib. 2. c. 10 but for my Wife and Children Ego enim propero ad inferos neque est ut aliquid pro me agas For I am hasting unto Hell neither is there any thing that I would begg in my own behalfe And this he spake as boldly saith Bellarmine who was then present as he has been to take his journey only to some neighbouring Village But this was desperate to pray for others as for our selves and with our selves is truly Christian No Prayer without Faith no Faith without Charity no Charity without mutuall intercession See not my Face said Joseph to his Bretheren unlesse your Brother be with you Gen. 43.5 so saith God to us come not into my presence unlesse in your Prayers you remember your bretheren also And therefore he hath taught us to Pray Our Father not Mine For our selves we are to pray as well as for others Math. 6.9 and for others as well as for out selves Use 2 Wherefore let all make Conscience of this Duty and pray heartily for those we seeme to affect It was the speech of a worthy Divine that he found it experimentally to be true that he never had more Love from any Greenhams works p. 14. then from those that he prayed for most fervently The Jewes found it true in praying for Darius the Emperour of the Medes Ezra 6.10 and Persians how bountifully were they rewarded by him what a decree did he make for the building of the Temple Nor shall we ever enjoy the comfortable fellowship of a Friend if we omitt this duty For all things are sanctifyed to us by Prayer 1. Tim. 4 5. Use 3 If those who affect us truly will be praying for us then let such as pray for us be againe affected by us and esteemed amongst the number of our best and fastest Friends be they never so poore and meane God is pleased to gratifie his Friends in the behalfe of others as well as on their own behalf As we reade in the Gospel of him that was sick of a Palsie who not being able to come to Christ himself was carryed by four Friends in his bed unto him to be cured when Jesus saw their Faith saith the Text Mark 2 3.5 he said unto the sick of the Palsie Son thy Sinnes be forgiven thee God for one mans sake helps another So Math. 8.13 Math. 8.13 The Centurion beleeved and the Servant was healed Little knowest thou what good thou receivest from the hands of God by the meanes of praying Friends St. Stephanus non sic orâsset Paulum hodie Ecclesia non haberet Aug. Heb. 13.18 19 St. Paul found the benefit St. Steevens Prayers And Austin of his Mother Monica's So Heb. 13.18 19. Pray for me I say pray for me I say said Father Latimer Pray for me pray for me for Gods sake pray for me said blessed Bradford It is no matter if we be forgotten in Cups so we be remembred in Prayers And ever count Praying-Friends the best Friends And to such I shall readily endorsse my letter To my truly Loving Friend this c. Use 4 And from hence the Godly may gather much comfort for if those who affect us truly will pray for us and speak to God in our behalfe then we cannot but be spoken for to God by all that call God Father for as much as they are taught by Christ to say Our Father Give us Forgive us They are not so strait-laced as to forget the Church and every member of it They who love Christ love every member of Christ to the lowest Oh the happinesse of a Christian who hath a stock going in every part of the Christian World He is like some rich Merchant who hath his Factors in all Countryes Some in Spain others in France and where not where God hath a Church The Prayers of the Saints are for the common good of the whole body and the poorest member of that body is a sharer in all the Prayers that are put up to Heaven in the behalfe of the Church As when severall Ships goe to Sea some traffique in one thing and some in another Some bring Gold others Spices and others other Commodities but all that is brought is for the common good of the Country So the Prayers of the godly are like these Ships that goe to Sea Some request this of God others that but all that they bring home is for the good of the whole Church whereof thou being a member shalt certainly be a sharer If one Elijah can procure plenty and prevaile for a whole Country If one Isaac by Prayer can make Rebeccah fruitfull If the Prayer of one Righteous man can so prevaile with God what will so many eyes and hands reared up to Heaven do Single Prayers are like Sampsons single haires every one hath the strength of a man but the Prayers of many are like his whole bush or head of haire able to overcome the whole Hoast of Heaven and to bind the hands of God himself as appeares by the passage betwixt God and Moses Exod. 32.10 And if men should faile me yet Christ still loves me and loving me he will not be wanting in making Intercession to his Father on my behalfe Lastly In that this man having nothing at home is enforced to goe out and flye unto his Friend it may teach us this Lesson that Doct. Afflictions drive to God verse 7 An observation that hath plentifull confirmation from Scripture Isay 17.3 there we read that Ephraim the prime Tribe of Israel should
this the Church enquires after Psal 23.2 3. Cant. 1.7 Isay 28.12 Cant. 1.7 Tell me where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon-day And of this the Prophet is to be understood Isay 28.12 Thirdly a Rest of Peace security and tranquillity of mind through the Assurance of their Reconciliation with God and of his Love and favour through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ Albeit this Rest be not perfect in this Life but subject to many interruptions This is the Rest that Christ calleth us unto Math. 11.29 and hath promised to give us Math. 11.29 And thus Bernard calleth a good and a quiet Conscience the Bed of the Soul Bona tranquilla conscientia est lectus animae in hoc requiem capit aemima Bern. Serm. parn 1. Psal 116.7 Isay 57.1 wherein it rests quietly and contentedly Unto this Bed David calls upon his soul to return Psal 116.7 Secondly the Godly go to their Beds and betake themselves to their rest at the day of their Death Isay 57.2 Where by Beds the Prophet understands such places as the dead bodyes of Gods Saints are put into after Death in which respect the burying place was usually termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sleeping-place of Gods Saints for that their bodyes lye quiet there be it in any Chamber of the Earth Sea or Aire as men rest in their Beds till the morning Bell rings that loud Trumpet of the Arch-Angell sound Psal 16.9 warning all to arise out of their graves and come to Judgment Thus we say of those that are dead they are at Rest and hence it is that the Hieroglyphicks describe a man at rest with one soot upon another as is visible on many Ancient Sepulchers Nor do their bodyes only take their rest but their souls likewise they are carryed into Abrahams bosome Luke 16.22 as was the soul of poore Lazarus there to rest in blisse till it shall be reunited againe unto the body Thus Revel 14.13 Revel 14.13 They are pronounced blessed that dye in the Lord for that they rest from all labours Thirdly at the generall Resurrection of all flesh at the last day they shall have an eternall Rest of which Rest the Apostle speaketh 2 Thes 1.7 Heb. 4.1.9 2 Thes 1.7 Heb. 4.1.9 Of that Rest Canaan was but a Type many wicked men entered into that Rest but none but the Godly shall enter into this Here we have but one day Rest for six dayes of labour but there we shall have an eternall Sabbath without any labour to disquiet it In the next place take notice in what respects the Godly may be said to be disquieted of their Rest And so The Children of God may be disquieted of their Rest in this Life many wayes Of their Rest of Resolution they come to be disquieted by doubtfull disputation new opinions curious and intricate questions Rom. 14.1 forbidden Rom. 14.1 Of their Rest of Refreshing they may be disquieted by Persecution our necks are under persecution saith the Church we labour and have no Rest Lament 5.5 Lament 5.5 And of their Rest of Tranquillity and inward peace they may be disturbed through manifold temptations and afflictions inward and outward from men or Devills David roared out for the disquietnesse of his heart Psal 38.3 -8. Afflictions work sorely even upon gratious dispositions Psal 38 3-8 to the disturbance of the tranquillity of the Soul Heb. 12.11 Heb. 12.11 And hence it is that David calls upon his soul to returne againe unto its rest Psal 116.7 Psal 116.7 Secondly in their Rest at Death they may be disquieted too the Devill intimates as much 1 Sam. 28.15 1 Sam. 28.15 albeit in that Particular he lyed Indeed it is not denyed by Divines but that the Devill by Gods permission may enter into the corps of a dead body and make it speak and walke as he pleaseth but with two provisoes first that it must be the body of a Reprobate that he assumes not of the Godly for that they rest in peace Secondly that the body which he raiseth he can no longer appeare in then naturally he can preserve it from corruption But albeit the Godly be not in this kind disquieted of their rest yet in other Regards they may by the Agents of the Devill as First it is a kind of disquietnesse to keep them from their beds albeit they are not thereof sensible yet God likes it not who as he hath made the body a house for the soul till he calls it forth so hath he made the Grave a house for the Body till he calls it up Job 17.13 Isay 26.19 Job 17.13 Isay 26.19 Psal 79.2 3. Revel 11.9 And thus the Saints have been disquieted Of this David complaines Psal 79.2 3. So Revel 11.9 which is understood of the cruelty of the Antichristian power against the faithfull Ministers of God And this is a thing most dishonourable to deny Christian buriall as appeares Eccles 6.3 and reckoned up for a Curse Eccles 6.3 Deut. 28.26 Jer. 22.19 Deut. 28.26 Jer. 22.19 Secondly it is a disquieting of them when they are turned out of their beds after they have been peaceably and quietly laid therein Every man that hath not devested humanity desires to have his bones lye at rest And this seemes to be the reason why the old Prophet enjoyned his Sons to bury him in that Sepulcher 1 King 13.31 wherein the younger Prophet was buryed who was slaine by a Lyon He knew that the bones in all the other graves of the Preists of other places should be taken up and burnt by Josiah upon the Altar of Bethel verse 1 2. as had been prophesied and foretold but he presumed that Josiah would spare the bones of the Prophet that had prophesied this and so his bones being mingled with his would be likewise spared God cannot indure that the Sepuâ—chres of the dead should be any way violated Amos 2.1 2 3. Amos 2.1 2 3. Thirdly th y may be disquieted of their Names and Credits after they are laid to Rest and that either by giving them too little as whâ—n they are rob'd of that testimony which is due to a vertuous life Thus dealt the Jewes by Christ Math. 27.63 This the very Heathen have abhorred Math. 27.63 De mortuis nil nisi bene Deut. 34.6 Jâ—de v. 9. Or else by giving them too much as when they adore and worship their very reliques this God likes not and therefore he hid the dead body of Moses nor would he suffer the Devill to remove it lest the people should make an Idoll of it So when they invocate on them or pray unto them which should the Saints in Heaven know they would spit in the face of them that do it but this I passe Thirdly and lastly concerning that full and perfect Rest which the Saints shall enjoy hereafter of that being once possessed they never shall be disquieted there
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
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