louder than the cry of mine against them After all this some perhaps may ignorantly alledge that of our blessed Saviour John 17.9 for a dispensation in this case if not for a contrary practice I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me But we are not by these words to understand that our Saviour did wholly leave wicked men out of his prayers but he preferred his Apostles and faithful servants before them these were nearest his heart and peculiarly dear to him and as there are degrees in Gods kindness so may and ought there to be in our prayers whilest we pray for all men we are to pray more especially for some 1. For our kindred near relations and intimate friends With what ardency and transports of zeal Moses and St. Paul prayed for such we read Exod. 32.31 32. Rom. 9.3 2. For the Church of God for the whole congregation of Christian people The City of Jerusalem was heretofore honoured above all the Cities of the world by Gods placing his name there and by that solemn worship which was there performed to him when the Tribes came up thither thrice a year c. Upon which account it was a Type of the true Church and the whole company of Gods faithful people are called Zach. 12.1 Heb. 12.22 the house of Jacob and the inhabitants of Jerusalem The Heavenly Jerusalem And therefore they were to pray for the Church under this title Pray for the peace of Jerusalem Psalm 122.6 7. Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy Palaces c. The Lord would not have them hold their peace Isa 62.6 7. for Jerusalems sake nor give him any rest till he made it a praise in the earth And it was a most fervent and pathetical Prayer Dan. 9.16 that of Daniel's O Lord according to all thy righteousness let thine anger and fury be turned away from thy City Jerusalem thy holy Mountain because for the sins and the iniquity of our Fathers Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us And doubtless we under the Gospel have all reason to own the same or greater obligations to pray for the Peace and prosperity of the Church of God and if we are not wholly devoid of the spirit of Christianity we shall express a sympathy with our fellow members rejoycing with those that rejoyce and weeping with those that weep praying most affectionately for those of the same holy communion with our selves that God would be pleased to confirm them in his truth keep them sound in the faith succour them by his grace defend them by his power Ephes 1.17 18 19. Epes 1.3 4. deliver them from every evil work and preserve them to his heavenly Kingdom For this among others we have the example of our Apostle praying for the Churches Col. 4.3 1 Thes 5.25 as well as desiring their prayers for himself upon all occasions particularly when he foresaw that he should meet with enemies in Judea Rom. 15.30 31. This is left upon record as an honourable testimony of Epaphras his zeal for the Church and people of God That he laboured fervently for them in prayer Col. 4. 12 13. that they might stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God Obj. But it may be objected against this part of our discourse that there is no such need of praying for the Church because God hath undertaken to secure it promising Mat. 16.18 That the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Answ It is true Christs Church shall never totally fail but no particular Churches ever had a Patent of perpetual preservation The decays and ruins of the Eastern Churches are a deplorable instance of the contrary and what hath been done to one Church may certainly be done to another what hath been done in Asia may be done in Europe Nor is that Church exempt which calleth her self the Mother and Queen of the rest but as she is fallen already in a sad degree from her first love from her truth and purity so may she soon be cast down from her pomp and glory And indeed when we consider her Apostasie from the Primitive Faith in many particulars we understand what great need there was of that early caution of the Apostle Be not high minded but fear Rom. 11.20 But to say no more of that now All Gods promises of not fayling and forsaking his people are made with this reserve that they do not wilfuly depart from him As the Prophet said unto Asa The Lord is with you while you are with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you 2 Chron. 15.20 but if you forsake him he will forsake you In which respect without naming any others at present we see there is great reason that in our prayers and supplications for all men we intercede especially for the Church of God in some such words as those of the Prophet Spare thy people Joel 2.17 O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach 3. We must pray more especially for that part of the Church of God among our selves because a natural and a civil added to the Christian relation strengthens our obligation to this duty Psal 122.7 For my brethren and companions sake I will now say Peace be within thee We that are united in the same civil as well as religious interests must needs suffer or prosper together and therefore ought to unite in mutual intercessions to pray most affectionately for one another and the whole body of the kingdom Jere. 14.9 Zach. 2.5 Psal 147.3 That the God by whose name we are called would not leave us but be a wall of fire round about us and the glory in the midst of us that he would strengthen the bars of Sions gates and bless all her children within her That he would protect his ordinances maintain his truths among us and continue his gracious presence with us that he would preserve the beauty and stability of religious government that errours and heresies may not infest the Church nor injustice treachery rebellion disorder the State but that the Tabernacle and the Tribunals religion and policy may mutally support and adorn each other That our Jerusalem may be a City compacted and at union within it self that we may not by any trifling or peevish differences among our selves open a breach for the common enemy to enter in at but that we may stand fast in one-spirit Phil. 1.27 and with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel that we may contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints that by all honest and orderly endeavours we may joyn together to defend and promote the religion of Christ and his Apostles the religion of the first and purest ages the religion which the Church of Rome hath so grosly corrupted the religion which the Church of England with others hath
A SERMON Preached in a Country-Audience On the late Day of Fasting and Prayer JANUARY 30. By a Priest of the Church of England 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. contra Celsum lib. 8. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry Psal 34.15 LONDON Printed for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St Paul's Church-yard 1679. IMPRIMATVR Feb. 20. 1678 9. Guil. Sill. A SERMON Preached in a Country-Audience On the late Day of Fasting and Prayer JANUARY 30. 1 TIM li. 1 2. I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty I Know no time more seasonable to recommend to you this great and general Duty of Prayer Prayer for our selves and others Prayer for the whole body of the Nation prayer for all men than upon this day of Solemn publick Fasting and Prayer I know no time more seasonable to recommend to you the especial duty of Prayer for Kings and Magistrates than upon this day which gives us so sorrowful a remembrance of the fatal fall of the best of Princes and therein too evident a proof of the great dangers that even such are exposed to and consequently of the great need they stand in of our Prayers And I know no words more proper to mind you of the duty of Prayer in general or of this particular duty of Praying for Kings and Governours than these of our Apostle which contain a fatherly admonition of Paul the aged to his Son Timothy That in the oversight of his Diocess he would take special care that solemn-Prayers be duly put up to Almighty God in the several assemblies of Christians 1. For all Men not only for Believers but for Infidels not only for Friends and Relations but for Enemies and Persecutors 2. For Men of Place and power for Kings and all that are in authority After which 3. He propounds a motive to procure Prayers for such especially viz. that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty That holiness and righteousness may be so encouraged and promoted by the religious care and zeal of those that are in authority Isa 32.17 that we may enjoy the fruit of righteousness which is peace and the effect of righteousness which is quietness and assurance for ever I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty These several words Supplications Prayers Intercessions are generally understood to signify several sorts of Prayer The first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deprecations of evil whether of sin or punishment The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 petitions for all those good things which respect either this present life or that which is to come The third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intercessions or Praying for other Men. To be sure under them with that other of Thanksgiving our Apostle comprehends all kinds of Prayer which he would have used in its proper place for its proper ends and purposes We need not distinguish nicely of the different sense of each word because the Apostle might well use three words of the same or very near the same signification the more throughly to commend to us and the more earnestly to press upon us the necessity and benefit of devout fervent and constant Prayer I exhort therefore that supplications prayers intercessions be made and I exhort it before all other things as the principal duty of Religion which is to take place of all the rest I exhort to it first of all c. In my discourse upon this subject I shall speak 1. Of the duty of Praying for all Men. 2. Of our particular obligation to pray for Kings and Magistrates 3. I shall make use of the motive in the Text together with some others to enforce this expression of our Loyalty by praying for the King and his Ministers 1. It is a Christian duty to Pray for all Men for all sorts and conditions of Men for Heathen and Jewish Infidels as well as for believing Christians for all that err and are seduced as well as for those that are sound in the Faith for our enemies and persecutors as well as for our friends and relations We are to pray for the conversion of the one as well as the confirmation of the other for reconcilement to our Enemies as well as for the continuance of amity with our Friends St. Chrysostom upon this place laments not only the narrowness and contraction of this charitable devotion but also the total defect of it in many Men and the contrary vice in some Some upon all occasions pray against and curse their Neighbours wishing evil may befal them others think they do very well if they pray for their friends and acquaintance for those that have done them good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or are like to do so The first sort pray like Heathens the second but like Jews at best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us learn to pray like Christians not only forgiving our enemies but beseeching God to forgive them too That we may say with the Apostles Being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it being desamed we intreat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.12 We endeavour to pacify them by mild and soft answers say some Interpreters we pray to God for them we beg that he would pardon them and turn their hearts say others The good Christian practiseth both He is gentle towards all men and prays for those who despightfully use him and persecute him This is the Glory and excellency of the Christian Spirit by this it bore up and maintained its reputation and renown when the world was most bent to blast and destroy it By this it got ground of the Heathen Philosophy made its way through all the opposition of Arms and Arts and took possession of Greece and Rome the most powerful and the most learned parts of the world For nothing ever gained a greater esteem or procured better entertainment for the Gospel of our Saviour than the patient sufferings of its primitive professors and their unparalleled kindness to their most malicious and bloody Persecutors and it hath been observed throughout all ages that Patience Prayers and Tears have been the Churches most serviceable weapons Great professors of Religion 't is true have conquered by other Arms but these alone make Religion it self victorious These keep the Crown upon its head maintain its Royalties uphold its Honour and Dignity in the World These set Christ upon his throne indeed and establish his Kingdom in the hearts of Men. And what did ever more shake and weaken the interest of Religion than the zealous endeavours
of high pretenders to promote it by violence and force of Arms When instead of Exhortations to Supplication Prayer and Intercession We have heard of nothing but curse ye Meroz and to your tents O Israel nothing but encouragement to Mutiny instigations to Sedition and beatings up for Rebellion and all this under the colour of Religion and a goodly talk of Reformation but how much this tended to the scandal and real damage of Religion to the planting and watering of Infidelity and Atheism we ought this day especially to consider and bewail And in our sad review of the calamities of the late Civil War nothing ought to afflict us more than the impairing of the credit of Religion thereby though thanks be to God there is no just reason that this should in the least touch or blemish the Honour of the Protestant Religion for we know now too well whence the Doctrines come of Rebelling against of deposing and murdering of Kings we know the Plot of this days bloody Tragedy was laid at Rome and acted by the Sects of their making among our selves As in the murder of King Joash of which we read 2 Chron. 24.26 we are given to understand that none of the Professors of the true Religion had any hand in it None of the Israelites but Zabad the Ammonite and Jehozabad the Moabite So we may say of the crying wickedness of this day No true Protestant had any thing to do in it none but the Agents and Emissaries of Rome none but a faction influenced by Jesuitical principles But this by the way I proceed to suggest some motives to this duty of praying for all men and particularly for our Enemies those who are thought least to deserve it We are to pray for all Men Membra sumus magni corporis Natura nos cognatos secit Seneca 1. Because we all partake of the same common nature and are Brethren of the same Heavenly Father who of one blood hath made all the nations of the earth and still doth protect and preserve them by a gracious and careful providence 2. All Men have an interest in the Redemption of the common Saviour of the World they are bought with the same inestimable price the precious blood of the Son of God who would have all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth as it follows a little after my Text and again verse 6. Who gave himself a ransome for all So that the Rich and the Poor the little and the mighty ones of the Earth meet together and God is not only the Creator but the Redeemer of them all 3. All Men stand in need of Prayers and are capable of receiving benefit by them and therefore we are not to withhold this charity especially considering 4. That hereby we may do a great deal of good at a very cheap rate at little or no cost and expence No Men have Estates to relieve all Some Mens will allow them to give Alms but to few Others have little or nothing to spare for any But there is no Man so poor but he may express this charity not only to some but to all men Simplicius Paupertas impensae impedimentum voluntatis non item Poverty indeed doth disable our Beneficence the bounty of the hand but not our Benevolence the bounty of the heart our good will and our good wishes By them the Poor may relieve the Rich the mean and low ones the high and mighty of the Earth by them we may do good to those whose faces we never saw and whose complaints we never heard Our Prayers are under no confinement they can visit the distressed afar off as well as those that are near and by them our charity may embrace all the World Who would not be a Benefactor when so little goes to make him one Who would not be forward to oblige all mankind when he may do it so easily I know some will be apt to complain that praying for enemies for the spightful and cruel for such whose malice is levelled against our Persons and our Religion is a hard saying but to facilitate this duty let such consider 1. That herein we imitate and are made like to our Heavenly Father in whom alone goodness is perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost How is he every day blasphemed and dishonoured provoked sometimes by Believers as well as Infidels both in word and deed What doth he do hereupon Doth he presently extinguish the light of the Sun and arrest the Moon in its course dash the Heavens in pieces and tear up the foundations of the Earth Doth he dry up the Sea and stop the running of the Springs Doth he mix and confound the Air and the other Elements None of all this but contrariwise he causeth his Sun to arise he gives rain and fruitful seasons he produceth nourishment out of the Earth for blasphemers ungrateful wicked Men and persecutors and that not for one two or three days but throughout the whole course of their lives Let us go and do likewise so far as humane frailty will permit We cannot make the Sun arise upon the World but we may by our Prayers derive somewhat of Gods infinite goodness upon it we cannot give rain but we may forbear pouring out curses we cannot give food perhaps to our enemy when he hungers yet we may forbear revenge and injury If we can do him no other real good still we may pray for him and by this we shall in some degree resemble our Father which is in Heaven 2. We hereby conform to the pattern as well as to the precepts of our blessed Lord and Master who was not provoked to any impatience under his sufferings by the highest affronts and indignities that were put upon him or to any expression of ill will towards those that inflicted them He was led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so opened he not his mouth more than to pray for those that crucified him Father forgive them for they know not what they do This humility and condescension of kindness was the height of his Glory and truly it is the singular excellency and perfection of his Religion as hath been already intimated that it instructs us to imitate this charity of his For your further encouragement I might set before you the examples not only of the fortitude and patience but of the admirable charity of many holy Martyrs in several ages of the Church But I shall at this time only point you to the great Martyr of this day and it is very observable what high degrees of this truly Christian Charity warmed his Royal heart how full he was of compassion towards his most cruel and deadly enemies not only praying for them upon the scaffold but in his Closet devotions Thou who madest thy Son a Saviour to many that Crucified him O let the voice of his blood be heard for my murtherers
in his sight It is good counsel for us to be sure which Zophar gave Job If iniquity be in thy hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles Job 11.14 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear There will be no fear no danger where there is no guilt Nothing but our sins can alienate us from the favour and the protection of the Almighty nothing else can defeat our Prayers infatuate our counsels weaken our endeavours give courage and success to our adversaries If our Religion have better effects upon us than theirs hath upon them if it make us more righteous more sober more godly more charitable more peaceable more loyal than theirs doth them if it exceed theirs as much in its efficacy as it doth in its principles God will then easily be intreated for us he will be sure then to be on our side and we need not fear what man can do unto us We need not fear the subtilty or the strength of our Enemies but we may hope upon good grounds that the same Almighty Saviour who delivered this Kingdom and Church from that formidable and as it seemed invincible Armado in 88. That he that blew up the deep design of the Powder Plotters and by a miraculous discovery did then preserve our King our Princes Nobles and the whole Parliament and with them our Liberties and Religion from a dreadful destruction That he that hath so often disappointed the confidence defeated the counsels laid open the most secret Plots of our Romish adversaries against the lives of our Protestant Rulers and the Being of our Protestant Religion That he that brought order out of the greatest confusion of a Civil War and a lawless Government he that so powerfully and graciously restored our present Sovereign recovered our State and Church from their desolate ruines and hath by a no less wonderful providence lately preserved our King from so many devilish conspiracies against his Crown and Life I say we have good reason to hope that the God who hath hitherto delivered us will still do so in our greatest fears and perplexities if we turn from our evil ways by repentance and turn unto him by earnest and fervent Prayer He will not cast off his people Psal 94.14 nor forsake his inheritance Thus have I shewed you that in our general Prayers for all Men we are under an especial obligation to pray for the Church and Country whereof we are a part and I have directed you how to pray how to ask so that you may obtain I must proceed to shew you in the next place that as you are to pray for the whole body of the Kingdom so more especially for the Head and Governour of it for the King as supream and all Magistrates under him and this my Text exacts of me I exhort first of all that Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and all that are in authority whether they be good or bad for the good that God would be pleased to confirm and prosper them in their vertuous proceedings and keep their hearts sound in his Statutes for the bad That he in whose hands are the hearts of Kings to turn them whithersoever he will would convert and reform them by a mighty grace that he would pardon their sins that he would subdue them to his obedience over-rule them by his power and restrain them from acting any thing either to their own or the publick detriment The Kings whom the first Christians were to pray thus for were not only Heathens without the Church but bitter Enemies to it and bloody persecutors of it for Idolatry Cruelty and Tyranny humani generis portenta the Monsters the Prodigies of their time and kind yet these wicked Kings and Emperours must be prayed for much more Christian Princes the nursing Fathers of the Church much more our own King in whose life and welfare we are so nearly concerned Let us pray heartily for him what we pray every day for him that he may alway incline to Gods will and walk in his way beseeching Him also by whom Kings reign to establish his Throne defend his person direct his Counsels and shew him the things that belong to his own peace and the peace and security of his people I shall give you some reasons and motives to enforce this duty 1. Such as are more general to move us to pray for all Kings at all times 2. Such as more particularly should stir us up to pray for our own King at this time I begin with the first 1. One great motive to pray for Kings and all in Authority is the motive in my Text viz. That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty The whole Kingdom share in the well-doing and prosperity and also in the miscarriages and misfortunes of a Prince He is the light of his Israel if he be quenched nay if he be but clouded or eclipsed what darkness and confusion what discomfort and horrour presently overwhelms the whole State As the Sun and Stars are ordained in nature to give vigour and life to Trees Plants and other sublunary creatures so is the face and countenance of Authority sanctified by God for the cherishing and quickning for the strengthing and refreshing all the seeds of piety and religion that are by our ministry sown in the hearts of men Their laws their protection and their example have an influence upon godliness as well as honesty The power and Jurisdiction of Christian Princes reaching the Church as well as the State And however Mariana and other Jesuites have determined ut nihil Princeps de religione statuat Mariana cap. 10. excluding Kings from all Ecclesiastical government and making St. Peters pretended successour the Pope sole Monarch here yet if the high Priest had arrogated so much in Davids time He himself had not ordered the courses and attendance of the Levites as we read he did 1 Chron. 9.22 23. nor in Hezekiahs time 2 Chron. 30. who himself appointed the services of the Priests and Levites and gave special order by Royal Edict for the celebration of the great Passover and that too at an unusual time Yea it might easily be shewed that the Sovereigns among all people not only Christians but Heathens have both claimed and exercised power over religious persons and in religious causes as well as others Arist Polit. l. 7. c. 8. The great Philosopher tells us that the first and principal thing in a Commonwealth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a care of religion and in the Scriptures we find not only the Kings of Israel such as Moses Josuah David Solomon Asa Jehosapaht Hezekiah Josiah c. but the King of Babylon and Darius the Persian publishing their Edicts to and fro about the worship of their false Gods and of the true God also Neither did
the Emperours by submitting to Christianity suffer any diminution in this part of their Royalty witness Constantine who honoured Bishops very highly and yet he reserved to himself the power of purging the Church from Idolatry and establishing the worship of God Enseb l. 2. de vit Constant c. 1. Theod. l. 5.20 by his own Imperial Edicts Witness Jovinian and Theodosius who by their own immediate Acts restored and reformed the pure religion which Julian and Valens had so much corrupted and destroyed Witness Justinian Novel Constit 131. who established the Code of the Universal Church consisting of the Canons of the four first General and five ancient Provincial Councils and commanded them to be kept as Laws I cannot stay here to give more instances of this nature seeing what hath been said already doth sufficiently shew that Kings and Magistrates have a great influence upon the Church upon our living godlily and therefore are to be pray'd for as such who may and do contribute very much either to the destruction or to the defence of the Faith the true Religion I need not tell you what a necessary dependance all the civil interests of a Nation have upon their Head and Governour nor have I time to shew you what glory the honour of a Prince reflects upon his people what protection and security they have in his power his Wisdom his vigilance and his goodness I can only tell you that his good is a common good and therefore to be prayed for as well for our own sake as his that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty That is the first motive to pray for Kings because the general safety peace prosperity and piety of a Nation depends so much upon them A further encouragement to this duty 2. In a second place may be this viz. That the prayers and piety of Subjects do very much contribute to the procuring and preserving of good Kings and Magistrates As for the iniquity and irreligion of a people God many times justly deprives them of a good Prince by suffering him to fall into sin and mischief which was the case of the incomparable Josiah 2 Kings 23.25 So by religion and righteousness is a Nation exalted and a Throne established If the wicked be taken from before the King his Throne shall be established in righteousness Prov. 25.5 If the prayers of single persons are so prevalent for themselves and their friends what great things may we expect from the united devotions of many good men in behalf of a person whose good redounds to many and whose happiness is a publick benefit As you have heard If prayer in such a case do not move God to convert a King from all sin and make him do all the good which is in his power yet we may hope it will at leastwise obtain that restraining grace for him which will keep him from being worse and hinder him from doing that evil to himself or the publick which before he was inclined to We are apt to impute the ill management of things and the evils that ensue thereupon to the weakness or wickedness of Kings which perhaps may more justly be charged upon the sins the profaneness and indevotion of the subject which very often provokes God to withdraw his guidance and direction his grace and assistance from Princes giving them up to be swayed by ill counsel to be overpowered by temptation to be drawn by their own lusts and passions to commit such folly and wickedness as becomes a plague and a scourge to a sinful people Psalm 106.32 For the peoples sake it went ill with Moses when he spake unadvisedly with his lips Davids sin in numbering the people was but a judgment executed on them for their own wickedness 2 Sam. 24.1 The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel for their sins no doubt and he moved David against them to say Go number Israel and Judah To instance in the case which was too much our own It was the peoples sin and not his surely which provoked God to deliver up the best of Kings into the hands of bloody and deceitful men to be abused and vilified and afterwards murthered by them If his good subjects had spent as much time in serious prayer for him as those hypocritical Traytours did in their mock devotions we might happily have enjoyed him longer 3. We are to pray for Kings because it is the only way the generality can do them service in Those that cannot help them by their counsel nor their Purses may by their prayers This way the charity and kindness of the poorest Cottage may visit and relieve the Court it self and the greatest King may be indebted for his preservation his life his health the success of his affairs to the prayers of his meanest Vassal 4. Christian prudence directs and Christian charity inclines us to pray most for such as most need it Now there are none in many respects more indigent and necessitous than the greatest Princes and Potentates none that need prayers and intercessions more than they and that 1. In respect of their great duties 2. Their manifold temptations 3. Their numerous enemies some in one way and some in another projecting against them 1. Their duties are great and difficult It is a very hard matter to rule well a great deal of Wisdom a great deal of study and care of strength and industry is required to make a good Governour The Master or Ruler of a Family a little Commonwealth as Aristotle calls it hath a great deal more to do a great many more solicitous thoughts about him a great many more troublesome businesses upon his hands than one of a single though a dependent capacity ordinarily hath The Governour then of a Kingdom which contains not only many Families but many Corporations and Cities will find the cares and troubles of provision and protection to encrease and multiply proportionably Epicurus who would by no means deny the being of a God yet disowned his providence and he did it with some shew of complement and civility pretending that it must needs be a great interruption of his ease and tranquillity to concern himself in the government of the World the ordering guiding controuling disposing of things so much below himself In this indeed he bewraies a very erroneous a very unworthy conception of the Supream Ruler of the World as if the ways and actions of the most perfect Being were subject to the same streights confinements and fatigues as ours are whereas his wisdom knows all things without so much as the labour of discourse and his power can do all things without Stratagem or contrivance But the Gods of the Earth 't is true Kings and Magistrates who in many things not only represent but resemble the God of Heaven in this are very unlike him They do not attain their Wisdom without diligent search experience and observation nor employ either it
so happily reformed the religion which the blood of so many Martyrs in the days of our Grandfathers bore witness to the present established religion of our Country known to the world by a name which I hope we shall never be afraid or ashamed to own The Protestant Religion For the flourishing of this religion for unity and love among all its professors we ought earnestly and importunately to pray Especially at this time this difficult and dangerous time now when those who have so long envied our Churches prosperity are so deeply engaged to extirpate and destroy it seeing their dissembled enmity can no longer conceal it self but breaks out in rage and violence seeing their malice is already blooded the courage of their cruelty heightned by success and every day ready to fly in the face of all that shall oppose them In this time of our fear and distress every man ought to stand upon his guard and if we are allowed no other weapons of defence or opposition yet not to fail to lift up holy hands in prayer to cry mightily unto God to implore his help when all other fails Now the Clouds follow after the rain and new Storms gather every day and Mens hearts generally fail them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth It concerns us I say now if ever to pray like Men at Sea like men in a Tempest to whom a little Religion will supply a great devotion That God would be pleased to keep the Ark of his Church still above water support a sinking State calm all our fears and comfort our hearts with a blessed prospect of peace and settlement That he may do so I say again it concerns us to pray with the poor distressed Mariners in Jonah Jonah 1.14 We beseech thee O Lord we beseech thee let us not perish yea it concerns us to awake our secure Neighbours and Friends that either are not apprehensive of their danger or mindful of their remedy as the Ship-master did Jonah in the midst of that dreadful storm What meanest thou O sleeper arise and call upon thy God if so be that God will think upon us that we perish not Times of fear and trouble are or should be times of prayer and passionate importunity Isa 26.16 Lord in trouble have they visited thee they have poured out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them In their afflictions they will seek me early Those are very graceless wretches indeed who will not go to God for help when they need it so much those that do not pray heartily at such a time it is to be feared that at other times they pray not at all But to encourage our selves in this duty let us consider how acceptable our Prayers are unto God at such times and how beneficial to our selves 1. How acceptable they are to God as appears by that in the Psalms Psal 50.15 James 5.13 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee by St. James's prescription Is any afflicted let him pray Gods power and providence is more acknowledged and his goodness more esteemed in a Deliverance than in a Preservation 2. Consider how advantageous it will be to our selves Our strength and help lieth not in our own counsels in our Purses our Policies our Armies at Land or our Fleet at Sea Prov. 21.31 but the name of the Lord is the only strong tower for Persons or States to fly unto It is not in the battle Jerem. 9.23 the horse or rider but safety comes from God It is not in the State the wise man nor the rich man Hos 13.10 nor the mighty man but judgment and kindness come from God When Israel had destroyed her self in God alone was her help and he promiseth to be her King Psal 46.1 God is a present help in trouble our extremity is the opportunity of the Divine Mercy This David found Psal 18.6 in my distress did I call upon the Lord and cried unto my God and he heard my voice out of his Temple Jerem. 26.19 This Hezehiah found did he not fear and besought the Lord and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them This Nehemiah Daniel Jonah and many others have found they cryed unto the Lord in their troubles and he delivered them out of their distresses Neither is there any reason at all that we should doubt of the like good effect if we pray to the same God in the same condition and with the same affections as they did I have not time to shew you particularly and at large how your Prayers must be qualified if you expect they should be successful I shall only mind you That God heareth not sinners that if you regard iniquity in your hearts live in the allowance of any Sin God will not hear you for your selves much less for others In such a case we only presume upon God's favour but do indeed provoke his displeasure while we continue impenitent and unreformed we affront his Majesty by our unhallowed sacrifices Prov. 15.8 The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to him to such he saith when ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea Isa 1.15 when ye make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of blood That our Prayers therefore may be effectual we must see that our repentance be sincere humbly acknowledging our wickedness and the iniquity of our Fathers our unthankfulness for mercies for our peace and plenty our civil and religious priviledges our discontents dissatisfactions and disobedience under the best Governours The most execrable crime the barbarous murder which hath stained the memory of this day the guilt and blemish whereof we ought to endeavour to wash off if possible with the tears of godly sorrow In vain may we hope to see better days unless we can heartily lament the sin of this the sins of all our days past and reform our present miscarriages those abominable vices which are inconsistent with any Religion and therefore the greater reproach to ours which not only pretends more to holiness but gives the strictest rules of life not selling indulgences at any rate not granting Absolutions to any who do not as well forsake as confess their-sins nor allowing any Penances short of the mortification of their Lusts We cannot reasonably expect any good return of our Prayers unless they be attended with hearty resolutions of amendment of life It is not Fasting and Prayer Alms and Prayer Tears and Prayer but Prayer and Holiness Prayer and a general Reformation that will avail Repentance is the best argument to move God to Mercy and a holy life is a continual intercession Beloved if our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence toward God 1 Joh. 3.21 22. and whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing