And in thine hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand thee Art not thou our God who didst drive out the inhabitants of this Land before thy people Israel and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever And they dwelt therein and have built thee a Sanctuary therein for thy Name saying If when evil cometh upon us as the sword judgement or pestilence or famine wee stand before this house and in thy presence for thy Name is in this house and cry unto thee in our affliction then thou wilt hear and help And now behold the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount-Seir whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade when they came out of the Land of Egypt but they turned from them and destroyed them not Behold I say how they reward us to come to cast us out of thy possession which thou hast given us to inherit O our God wilt thou not judge them for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know wee what to do but our eyes are upon thee And all Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones their wives and their children Oh here is a prayer of Faith indeed there is much of the life of Faith and strength of argument in this prayer of good Jebosaphat 1. By Faith he sees and pleads the near relation betwixt God and his people Israel the seed of Abraham his friend 2. By Faith hee presses God upon his Covenant and Promise made to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by which hee gave the Land of Canaan which is therefore called the Land of Promise to Abraham and his seed for ever 3. By Faith hee acknowledgeth and improveth the soveraignty and ruling power which God keepeth in his own hand over all the Kingdomes of the world yea over the very Heathen and those that are the enemies of his Church and People and therefore is able at all times to frustrate their deepest counsels disappoint their greatest designs bridle their greatest rage and power so as to deliver his people that put their trust in him 4. By Faith hee pleads the special Covenant and Promise of God made to Solomon on the behalf of his people at the dedication of the Temple and applies it to the present case in hand 5. By Faith hee improves the various passages of providence clearing up the innocency and integrity of his people Israel and the righteousness of their cause and on the contrary declareth the guiltiness ingratitude and wickedness of these ungodly nations that were now combined together to seek the ruine of Israel And upon the whole leaves the case with God as a most righteous Judge holy faithful and able to plead the case of his poor people in this great distress And prevails so far with God by this prayer of Faith that hee hath a gracious answer and a most glorious return in the wonderful Salvation of the Church and People of God for whom hee prayed and in the utter destruction and overthrow of their potent enemies against whom hee prayed for vers 14. Then upon Jahaziel c. came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the Congregation And hee said Thus saith the Lord unto you be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude for the battel is not yours but Gods And ver 17. Yee shall not need to fight in this battel set your selves stand yee still and see the salvation of the Lord with you And vers 22. When they began to sing and to praise The Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon Moab and Mount-Seir which were come against Judah and they were smitten for the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the Inhabitants of Mount-Seir utterly to slay and destroy them And when they had made an end of the Inhabitants of Seir every one helped to destroy another And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness they looked unto the multitude and behold they were dead bodies fallen to the earth and none escaped And vers 25. When Jehosaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies and precious Jewels which they stript off for themselves more than they could carry away and they were three daies in gathering of the spoil it was so much Oh what a wonderful deliverance and salvation was here obtained by one prayer of Faith Good Jehosaphat prayes in Faith and prevails by prayer with God The enemies are divided one against another and utterly destroyed one by another Israel saved with a wonderful salvation and greatly enriched with the spoil of their enemies 4. The Saints and Servants of God by Faith in prayer have prevailed with God for the stopping the course and changing the very law of nature in his government of the Creatures so that they have at the command of God been serviceable to his Church and People not onely beyond but even against the course and law of nature Instance 1 So holy Joshua by Faith in prayer commands the Sun and Moon to stand still and stay their course until hee had avenged the Lords people upon their enemies Josh 10.12 Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel And hee said in the sight of Israel Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon And vers 13. The Sun stood still and the Moon stayed until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies Is not this written in the book of Jasher So the Sun stood still in the midst of Heaven and hasted not to go down about a whole day And vers 14. There was us day like that before it or after it that the Lord hearkened to the voice of a man for the Lord fought for Israel On the wonderful force and prevailing efficacy of Faith iâ— prayer that even the course and law of nature which no creature can resist or withstand should thereby be stayed Job 38.31 32 33. 34 35 Ezek. 1.17 and the Sun and the Moon which by the ordinance of God are to bee in continual motion and move with such wonderful speed Psal 19.1 2 3 4 5 6 as to compass the world in the vast circumference of the Heavens in a few hours should at the word of a poor frail man stand still and stay their course for the space of a whole day Instance 2 Thus also holy Moses prevails with the Lord by prayer for the dividing the waters of the Sea even the Red Sea so that contrary to the law and course of nature they stood upon an heap and were a wall to Israel on the right hand and on the left Exod. 14.15 16. And the Lord said unto Moses Wherefore cryest thou unto mee Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward But lift up thou thy Rod
from our sins in his own blood And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father therefore yee may come boldly to the throne of grace through the glorious intercession of Jesus your great High Priest Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that wee have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Vers 16. Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace And again Ephes 3.12 In whom wee have boldness and access by the Faith of him 2. The services 2 Their services and spiritual sacrifices of the Saints which they offer up to God in Faith are acceptable to the Father through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 Yee also as lively stones are built up a spiritual-house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Where observe that the mediation and intercession of Jesus Christ is the procuring cause of all the Saints acceptation with God both as to their persons and as to their services which here are called spiritual sacrifice And yee Saints of God know that your sacrifices are not therefore acceptable to God because spiritual but because offered to God thorow Jesus Christ because sprinkled with the blood of Christ Now it is the nature and property of Faith to lead us out of our selves for acceptation Rom. 5.1 as well as for assistance unto the blood and righteousness Isa 45.24 and merits of Jesus Christ and Faith seeks its acceptation with the Father onely Gal. 2.19 20 and wholly through the mediation of Jesus the Son of God And therefore all the prayers of the Saints which are put up in Faith do come under the mediation and glorious intercession of Jesus and are offered up to the Father by the hand of Christ who is therefore called the Angel of the Covenant and said to stand before the Altar i. e. the Incense Altar because hee offereth up continually the prayers of the Saints with his own hand perfumed with the Incense of his own merits unto the Father Rev. 8.3 4. And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer And there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne And the smoke of the Incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand Oh needs must the prayers of Faith the beleeving prayers of all the Saints ascend up before God and prevail in Heaven which are offered up by the hand of this blessed Angel even Jesus who is before the throne And is there continually so that it is alwaies the time of Incense with the Congregation of Gods praying people for this blessed Angel is day and night before the Throne offering up their prayers with the pure Incense of his merits Jesus the Mediator and High Priest of our profession is alway within the vail carrying on this part of his Priestly office in Heaven Heb. 7.25 Seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them Use 1 If the Efficacy of Faith in prayer be such that the Saints may thereby prevail in Heaven And that all things whatsoever they shall ask in prayer beleeving they shall receive then woe be to all such as have the prayers of the Saints justly engaged against them It is easier to stand before the greatest Armies before the combined powers and policies of the greatest Monarchs and Princes in the world than to stand before the prayers of two or three poor Saints who pray in Faith and cry day and night to God for help against their wicked persecutors 'T is storied of the Champions and Worthies of the Old Testament amongst other worthy deeds and great things which they did by Faith That by it they put to flight the Armies of the Aliens and subdued Kingdomes Heb. 11.33 Who through Faith subdued Kingdomes stopped the mouths of Lions quenc hed the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens By Faith i. e. by prayers of Faith for they cryed unto the Lord in their straits and under the great oppressions and tyranny of their enemies they prayed to the Lord for help against them And by Faith in prayer they obtained help from God against their persecutors Their enemies were wonderfully brought under mighty Kingdomes subdued and whole Armies strangely conquered and shamefully put to flight Sometimes without means Exod. 14.27 28 as Pharaoh and all his Host at the Red Sea Sometimes by weak and contemptible means Judges 4.21 as Sisera fell by the hand of a woman And King Herod that bloody persecutor Act. 12.23 dyed by Worms or Lice And the whole Army of the Midianites with the Amalekites and all the children of the East who lay upon the ground like Grashoppers so great was their multitude were put to flight by the dream of a Barley Cake tumbling into the Host of Midian Judg. 5.12 13 14 Sometimes by contrary means against the very Law of nature friendship and natural affection So proud and blasphemous Sennacherib fell by his own Sons Isa 37.38 whilst hee was worshipping in the house of Niseroth his God who were wonderfully over-ruled by the power and providence of God even against the Law of nature and religion to execute the wrath of God and avenge the cause of his praying-people upon this proud and wicked persecutor So also the children of Moab Ammon and Mount-Seir who were confederate against Judah were by the just judgement of God at the prayer of good Jehosaphat given up to such a spirit of division and hatred amongst themselves 2 Chron. 20.23 24 that they fully set themselves to destroy one another and ceased not till there was not one of them left Sometimes by preternatural and extraordinary means where ordinary means have failed Josh 10.10 11 Thus the five Kings and their Armies that fought against Joshuah were subdued and destroyed chiefly by hailstones from Heaven And thus the King of Assyria's Army consisting of an hundred and fourscore and five thousand Isa 27.36 were slain in one night by the hand of an Angel Thus the mouths of those greedy and roaring Lions were stopped by an Angel that they could not so much as touch Daniel Dan. 1.6.22 And the burning destroying power of the fiery Furnace so quenched by the glorious presence of the Son of God that it had no power so much as to singe the garments Dan. 3.25 26 27 or hair of the heads of those three Worthies Shadrach Meshach and Abednego So that the greatest Monarchs Princes Generals Armies and Kingdomes of the world have not been able to stand before the prayers of the Saints of God when they have prayed in Faith and cryed to the Lord for help against them Woe therefore be unto all those against whom
wantonness fornication adultery oppressio◠cruelty with all other their fleshly wickedness is bad enough b◠their Religion viz. Idolatry Superstition Will-worship is wor◠of all and therefore called emphatically and by way of eminency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The unclea◠thing which the Saints of God are forbidden so much as to touch as ever they expect and hope to be received and owned by God in that relation of Adoption Wherefore come out from among them and be yee separate saith the Lord And touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and be a Father unto you and yee shall be my Sons and my Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Yea it is called the abominable thing which the Lord doth hate Jer. 44.4 Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate Intimating that the holy God hath a special and peculiar hatred abomination and detestation thereof above all other things 3. Their formal prayers which they make and say over with much ignorant devotion with all their significant Ceremonies attending the same their vestures and gestures as bowing cringing spreading forth hands c. which hypocrites do so much magnifi◠and applaud in compariso◠whereof they do not only sligh◠and dis-respect but also mo◠desperately if not maliciously reproach and blaspheme even th◠blessed Spirit of Grace and Supplication how doth the Lor◠reject and disown them vers 〈◊〉 And when yee spread forth you hands I will hide mine eyes fr◠you Yea when yee make ma◠prayers I will not hear Yo◠hands are full of blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the voice from Heaven to◠the Graecian Tyrant i. e. The 〈◊〉 within will certainly frustr◠and make void all the extern◠services and devotions of su◠wicked hypocrites In whom tha◠Scripture is perfectly fulfilled Prov. 28.9 Hee that turneth 〈◊〉 his ear from hearing the Law eve◠his prayer shall be abomination Secondly This may inform us of the excellency and preciousness of true Faith The excellency and worth of things is to bee valued by their usefulness and the more usefull and necessary a thing is the more excellent and precious it is Bread-corn is a more excellent and precious thing than Bullymong * i. e horse-corn because more useful and necessary for the support of mans life And Wisdome is more excellent and precious than Rubies because more useful for the management of humane affairs Grace is more excellent than Gifts and Parts because more needfull and necessary in order to the souls eternal welfare A man may bee saved bee happy and blessed for ever without Gifts and Parts but a man cannot be saved without Grace Joh. 3.3 So Faith is a most excellent and preciou◠thing because so abundantly s◠indispensibly so universally usefull and necessary for us not only in this particular case of prayer but also in all other Spirituall sacrifices and services which wee offer up unto God through Christ In all which respects tha◠Scripture holds most true He◠6.6 Without Faith it is impossible to please God Wee judge of th◠goodness and excellency of th◠Tree by the goodness of th◠fruit and of the Cause by th◠Effects So the excellency a◠preciousness of Faith is to 〈◊〉 discerned by the excellent 〈◊〉 precious fruits and effects the◠of in the hearts and lives of 〈◊〉 precious Saints Oh! the great and glorious things which the Saints and 〈◊〉 vants of God have been enabl◠and taught to do by the strength and light of Faith Heb. 11.33 Who through Faith subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousness obtained Promises stopped the mouths of Lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness was made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens women received their dead raised to life again And as the Saints and Servants of God have been enabled to do So also to suffer great and strange things by faith vers 35. And others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection And others had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the sword they wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented c. Oh the invaluable and incomparable worth and excellency of Faith which bringeth forth such precious fruits in the hearts and lives of poor weak and contemptible men and women who are subject to the same passions encompassed with the same infirmities liable to the same temptations common to mans nature and yet have been enabled to do and suffer such things as are above and against nature requiring a supernatural and divine ability and all this by the light and strength of Faith As vers 39. All these obtained a good report through Faith Optima san◠arbor quae tales habet fructus Most excellent doubtless is that Tree which brings forth such fruits I will shew thee my Faith by my works saith the holy man James 2.18 Faith is a working Grace and it worketh like its self Operari sequitur ad esse i.e. the operation and working of things is according to the nature and being of them is a true principle in nature and 't is as true also in grace if therefore the works of Faith be so excellent and glorious oh how excellent then is the nature the life and essence of this Faith It was the saying of a Heathen Philosopher from the observation which hee made of the excellent and admirable works and fruits of moral virtue in the lives of some Heathens that if the face and image of virtue could be represented to the bodily eye the beauty and glory thereof would be so great that it would even ravish the whole world if the Heathens were so much taken with the beauty of morality because of the excellent fruits and effects thereof in the lives of some Heathens Oh how much more should Christians be taken with the beauty of Faith and Grace because of the admirable and precious fruits it hath brought forth in the lives of the Saints with which the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do so much abound Thirdly This may inform us whence it is and how it cometh to pass that oft-times the prayers even of godly and holy men fall short of Heaven and prove not successful for themselves or others as both Scripture and experience doth testifie even from hence it is because they do not alwaies pray in Faith a good man a precious holy man may have the grace of Faith in his heart and yet may want the exercise of it in this or that particular case in this or that particular ordinance or duty Peter had the Grace of Faith in his heart but wanted the active power and exercise thereof in that particular case of confessing and owning Jesus Christ before men when he was in the High Priests Hall Mat. 26.70 72 74. Moses and Aaron had
drug when there is such quick trading at the throne of Grace Great Merchants will empty their Ware houses and bring forth their richest commodity when they have a quick trade when the wants and necessities of their own or other Countries do give them advantage to put off with greater profit they will use the utmost diligence and industry and will lay out themselves to the utmost they will venture all their stock engage all their credit improve all their interest in such a season Shall men be so wise for earth and shall not the children of the Kingdome be as wise for Heaven O yee Saints of God yee are the heavenly Merchants who onely have this trade in your hands yee have interest in the heavenly Country and ye have a Factor there who is both able and faithful who will not fail to put off your prayers with the best advantage and procure you returns in the richest and best things of the Country which shall best answer your interest and profit here on earth And now yee have a most precious season 1. The wants and necessities of three great Nations whereof your selves are a part and in the peace whereof your peace is bound up do call aloud for the help of your prayers being under as great symptomes and tokens of divine displeasure and under as black a cloud of stormy wrath as any Nation wee read of in all the Word of God search the Scriptures and take a catalogue of all the characters and marks expressed there of a generation marked out for vengeance and try if they be not all found upon this generation this one excepted That the Lord of Hosts hath reserved unto himself a remnant And can you see all this and be silent have yee not so much charity so much bowels of compassion for your native Country Gen. 18.22 your children and posterity as Abraham had for Sodom as Lot for Zoar 2. The desolations of Mount Zion the captivity of Gods Ark the afflictions and troubles that are accomplished in your dear brethren who are like sheep appointed for the slaughter do call aloud for your most fervent prayers and strong cryes to bee sent up to Heaven incessantly that you give the Lord no rest till hee doth arise and have mercy upon Zion and turn the captivity of his people as streams in the South Can yee bee at ease in Zion and not regard the afflictions of Joseph Can yee behold Zion in travel yea crying out and in pangs to be delivered and not lend a helping hand 3. The ruinous case and condition of thousands of precious souls who are like to perish for want of vision to starve for want of the bread of life who wander from mountain to hill to seek the Word of the Lord and cannot finde it who cry out for bread and behold stones are given them instead of bread who ask for fish but are fed with Scorpions who seek water but finde none and their tongue faileth for thirst do also in their deep misery and distress cry out and call aloud to you oh pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers drive out loiterers that hee would raise up unto us a soul-searching a soul-saving Ministry and take away from us the heavy scourge and plague of a soul-murdering blind and superstitious Clergy for where the blind lead the blind both must fall into the ditch Oh yee Saints of God who only know the worth of souls who only can be truly sensible of spiritual evils and know both the worth and want of a true Gospel-Ministry can ye be silent and see such merchandize made of the souls of men by the greedy Merchants of Babylon Never was there a time from the foundation of the world in which the Saints had more advantage of doing great and eminent service by prayer for the poor Nations of the earth and for their dear brethren in sufferings and for the souls of men yea and for the whole Creation than at this day In which the Nations of the earth are so greatly distressed the minds of men perplexed and their hearts even failing them for fear and for looking after the things that are coming to pass on the earth yea the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain desiring to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God In which Zions consolation and Babylons confusion greatly hasteneth the time of Babels Tyranny and the Saints captivity is so near fulfilled and the times of refreshing a coming from the presence of the Lord and the time of the restitution of all things Oh ye Saints of God know that this is a pretious season let but your prayers meet together in the Angels hand who stands before the Altar to offer them up with his own Incense and then great and marvellous things will be done in the earth Rev. 8.3 4 5. THE Efficacy of FAITH IN PRAYER Matthew 21.22 And all things whatsoever yee shall ask in Prayer beleeving yee shall receive THe next thing observable in the Text and proposed to be handled in this Treatise is The Efficacy of Faith in Prayer Faith is a plenipotentiary grace it hath a kind of omnipotency in it it cometh with a full commission from Heaven to the poor Disciples of Christ on earth by which they may do and obtain great things with God yea all things whatsoever they shall ask in prayer they shall obtain by Faith The great God of Heaven will not cannot deny any thing to his poor servants here on earth which they ask in Faith Hee is faithful who hath promised and cannot deny himself the word is gone out of his mouth in righteousness and hee will not repent hee will not call it in again And all things whatsoever yee shall ask in prayer beleeving yee shall receive Oh here is a large commission indeed All things and all things whatsoever Here are no limits no bounds set to Faith in prayer Faith may ask what it will and have what it asks at the hand of God! Faith can but ask and have Faith doth but speak the word on Earth and it is done in Heaven the truth is Faith is a modest grace a prudent wise and sober grace that looketh at the will of God as her Rule and the glory of God as her ultimate end and aim in all things and therefore will not cannot desire or ask any thing contrary to Gods most holy will or cross to and inconsistent with his glory and therefore Faith hath the Key of Heaven committed to her and may go to the heap of mercy and take even what shee will Mat. 15.28 O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt The Efficacy of Faith in prayer and the mighty prevailing power it hath with God is sufficiently made manifest 1. In the truth of Gods most holy Word and Promises 2. In the Saints most precious and
constant Experiences The truth of Gods most holy Word and Promises 1 The truth of Gods holy word and promises do abundantly attest and bear witness to the mighty efficacy of Faith iâ— prayer great things are promised yea all things are promised to the prayers of Faith So in the Text And all things whatsoever yee shall ask in prayer beleeving yee shall receive This is the Word of Christ this is a gracious Promise of Jesus Christ to his Disciples here on earth and hee will be as good as his word hee is the faithful witness and the truth it self and therefore hee cannot lye he can as well cease to be God as cease to be true and faithful in his Word and Promises 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen i. e. truth and assurance or most sure and stedfast unto the glory of God by us So that God stands upon the truth of his Word and Promises as a great part of his glory and hee will have the glory of his truth what-ever comes of it hee will appear to be true in his Word and Promises yea in all his Promises to a jot and tittle there shall not the least jot or tittle thereof fail till all be fulfilled Mat. 5.18 For verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all bee fulfilled As if the Lord had said yee are apt to set light by my Word to question and doubt of the truth and certainty thereof but I assure you I stand so much upon my Word to have it fulfilled and made good to the utmost that if Heaven and Earth lay in one scale and the least iota or tittle of my Word in the other I would rather suffer Heaven and Earth i. e. the whole Creation to perish and come to nothing than that the least iota or tittle of my Word should fail till all be fulfilled So wonderfully doth the God of Truth stand upon his glory in this respect therefore all the Promises of God in him i. e. in Christ are yea and iâ— him amen because this is for the glory of God to be as good as his word and not to falsifie but to fulfill all his Promises Now many exceeding great and precious promises hath Goâ— made in Christ unto his people praying in Faith or exercising Faith in prayer Wee shall instance in one or two in liew of all the rest which being added to this of the Text may bee sufficient to give a full testimony to the truth in hand that so in the mouth of two or three witnesses this word may bee established The first that we shall instance in is that great Charter of heaven or promise made to the poor afflicted tempted and despised Saints and Churches of Christ here on earth Mat. 18.19 Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall bee done for them of my Father which is in Heaven The number of true Disciples is in many places very small it may bee two of a Family and one of a Tribe and the true Churches of Christ are for the most part but small and few in number especially compared with the false Church and Churches of Antichrist the Whore that sitteth upon many Waters Rev. 17.15 But O yee Saints and Churches of Jesus Christ let not the paucity and smalness of your number discourage you though the malice and rage of the ungodly may like the great water-floods keep good Neighbors one from another so that ye cannot assemble and meet together in that solemn and publick manner as yee could desire yet bee not discouraged do not think the Efficacy and strength of Prayer is thereby so diminished or weakned that yee cannot prevail in Heaven Col 25 You may bee present in Spirit when absent in body Your Prayers may meet in Heaven when your persons cannot meet upon Earth Rev. 8.3 You may bee cast into Prisons and Dungeons you may bee scattered and wander in the desart places in the dens and caves of the earth but here is your comfort Heaven is still open And let mee tell you from this Scripture yee may do and obtain great things in Heaven If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing they shall ask it shall be done for you in Heaven If two of you shall agree 't is not meant in a way of worldly policy and carnal contrivance but in a way of spiritual harmony and consent of soul arising from the unity of Faith and the anointing of the Spirit Rom. 8.26.27 teaching and guiding you in prayer to ask those things which are according to the will of God let the thing be what it will ask it in the Heaven above or in the Earth beneath let it be never so hard and difficult and in the eye of fense and reason even impossible yet it shall certainly be done for you and granted in Heaven Oh what a blessed charter what a glorious liberty is this granted to the children of God that by Faith in prayer here on earth they may have any thing even what they will done for them in Heaven And this is the priviledge of all those little ones that beleeve in Christ Mat. 18.10 and 14. compared with vers 19 20. This is not the priviledge of old Fathers and strong men onely but even of babes in Christ such as are little ones little in the worlds account and it may be little in the eye of other Saints but least of all in their own eye yet these little ones that beleeve in Christ how contemptible little and low soever they be on earth are honourable great and high in Heaven and may do such things by Faith in prayer as the greatest Monarchs and Princes upon Earth cannot do by their greatest force and power As will further appear in the second Scripture and word of Promise which for the proof the point wee shall also a little insist upon Isaiah 45.11 Thus saith the Lord the holy one of Israel and his Maker Ask mee of things to come concerning my Sons and concerning the work of my hands command yee mee Oh the admirable and infinite condescention of the great Jehovah who hath created the Heavens and formed the Earth and commandeth all the hosts of them That hee who commandeth Angels and ruleth in the Armies of Heaven and in the Kingdomes of men should suffer himself to be commanded by a hand-full of poor praying-souls here on earth and to have such power in Heaven as to command and dispose of the great works of providence yea the choisest and most admirable operations thereof which for their rarity and excellency are by way of eminency the works of Gods hands as the Egyptian Magicians said of that rare and admirable work of Gods singular power and providence in turning all the
the Elect of God do cry for vengeance day and night 'T is not in the power of the greatest worldly force and pollicy to secure them from the revenging hand of God No but such must certainly fall before the prayers of Gods Elect Luke 18.7 8. And shall not God avenge his own Elect which cry day and night unto him though hee bear long with them i. e. with the persecutors I tell you that hee will avenge them speedily Oh that therefore the Kings and Princes and Rulers of the Earth would bee wise and take heed how by persecuting and oppressing the People of God they constrain them to cry to Heaven against them 'T is blessed counsel which the Spirit of God gives by the mouth of his servant David Psal 2.10 Be wise now therefore O yee Kings be instructed yee Judges of the Earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son lest hee be angry and yee perish in the way When his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him Use 2 What a great mercy and blessing then are the Saints and People of God to the Nations and Kingdoms and Countries where they live who as so many Princes or rather Kings and Priests have power with God and can by Faith in prayer prevail with him for any thing What a mercy was one praying Moses to the Nation of Israel Psal 106.23 when they had provoked the Lord to jealousie by the golden Calf What a great mercy was one praying Lot to the City Zoar Gen. 19.21 which should have been destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah had not Lot prayed for it What a great blessing was holy Jacob who was a great wrestler with God in prayer Gen. 32.24.28 and as a Prince had power with God and prevailed and upon that account had his name changed from Jacob to Israel what a mercy I say was hee to the whole Family of his Unckle Laban Gen. 30.27 whilst he sojourned there That speech of the Lord to King Abimelech and his People concerning Abraham a poor traveller and stranger who came but to sojourn in his Country for a time is very remarkable Gen. 20.7 Now therefore restore the man his Wife for hee is a Prophet and hee shall pray for thee and thou shalt live Wrath was gone out from the Lord against King Abimelech and his People And the prayers of Abraham a poor stranger prevail in Heaven for the life of Abimelech who otherwaies was but a dead man and for those in his house whose wombs were fast closed up because of Sarah Abraham's Wife Gen. 20.3.17 18 whom Abimelech had sinfully taken to him Their own sin not Abraham's sojourning had procured wrath against them And Abraham by prayer procureth sparing and healing mercy for them A sinning Court who daily provoke the Lord against themselves and subjects ☞ had need of some praying souls daily to intercede for them How great therefore is the errour of the wicked who look upon the People of God as the onely troublers of their Israel 1 King 18.17 and attribute the cause of all their calamities and troubles to the Lords faithful servants which they procure unto themselves by their own wickedness Justly therefore may the Lords People answer such Ahabs in the words of that old non-conformist and good Prophet Elijah 1 King 18.18 Wee have not troubled Israel but thou and thy Fathers house in that yee have forsaken the Commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim 'T is not the zealous and conscientious non conformist that troubles the Court and Country but the Idolatrous and superstitious party who cast off the Commandements of the Lord and set up their own inventions Psal 106.29 Rev. 13.12 15 16 and as a greater aggravation of their wickedness would compel others to sin with them Oh that therefore the eyes of the Nations of the Kings and Judges of the earth were opened to discern aright and to see who are the troublers of Israel and who are the chariots and horsemen thereof Well! that blessed day is a coming wherein the Kings of the earth even shall hate that scarlet whore Rev. 17.16 17 tear her flesh burn her with fire even so Amen The good Lord hasten it in his due time and let all the Saints say Come Lord Jesus come quickly Well then whatever wicked men say whatever proud men say out of the blindness and hardness and unbeleef of their hearts yet the zealous and conscientious non-conformists are not the troublers of Israel 2 King 2.12 Rev. 16.13 14 but the Chariots and Horse-men thereof Are not the Kings enemies but his and their Countries best friends Rev. 19.19 20 21 and wicked men will be found at last to be the worst subjects and enemies both to their King and Country Let the Nations Kings and Princes of the earth therefore know that 't is their best interest to cherish protect and incourage a praying and a holy people though they cannot in all things conform to their laws and customs in the matters of Gods most holy worship about which the holy God is so jealous Exod. 20.5 Dan. 3.17 18. 6.10 and his people so truly and tenderly conscientious And the prayers of such a people shall prevail more in Heaven for their King and Country in order to their defence and safety than all the Chariots and Horse-men Souldiers Armies Power and Policy that the whole world can afford them Use 3 Then O ye Saints and Servants of the most high God who have received the spirit of Adoption and have an interest in Jesus 〈◊〉 great High Priest who is entred into the Heavens for us even Jesus the Son of God come boldly and daily to the throne of grace improve your interest in Heaven and try what faith and prayer will do there for the help of your native Country your poor afflicted brethren abroad in the world for the consolation and deliverance of Zion that City of God and for the confusion and destruction of mighty Babel that Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth who hath corrupted the whole earth with her fornications involved the whole Creation in such a woful bondage and thraldome and made her self drunk with the blood of Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Heb. 4.16 Come boldly I say to the throne of Grace Luke 18.7 and cry mightily to Heaven even day and night Isa 62.6 7 and give the Lord no rest till he doth arise Psal 87.3 and make his Jerusalem a praise in the earth and fulfil all those glorious things which are spoken of that City of God and execute all the judgements written against Babylon to binde her Kings in chains Psal 149.7 8 9 and her Nobles in links of Iron This honour have all his Saints O ye Saints this is an honour that the God of Heaven and earth hath put