16. consent thou not If they say come with us let us lay wait for bloud let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause Cast in thy lot among us let us all have one purse My son walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path For their feet run to evil and make hast to shed bloud Secondly We must pray in all places I will therefore 1 Tim. 2.8 that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting Thirdly We must pray at all times Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord Zechar. 8.21 and to seek the Lord of hosts O Lord God of my salvation I have cried day and night before thee Let my prayer come before thee Psal 88.1 2. encline thine ear unto my cry Unto thee have I cried Psal 88.13 O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee Evening Psalm 55.17 and morning and at noon will I pray And it came to passe Luke 6.12 in those dayes that he went out into a mountain to pray and be continued all night in prayer to God And he spake a parable unto them Luke 18.1 to this end that men ought alwayes to pray and not to faint Every day will I blesse thee Psalm 145.2 and I will praise thy name for ever and ever Pray without ceasing 1 Thess 5.17 But the end of all things is at hand 1 Pet. 4.7 be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer Night and day 1 Thess 3.10 praying exceedingly Continuing instant in prayer Rom. 12.12 Foutthly We must pray for all persons yea even for our enemies Confesse your faults one to another James 5.16 and pray one for another that ye may be healed Love your enemies Luke 6.27 28. do good to them that hate you Bless them that curse you and pray for them that despitefully use you Then said Iesus Luke 23 34. Father forgive them for they know not what they do And they stoned Stephen Acts 7.59 60. calling upon God and saying Lord Iesus receive my spirit And he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin to their charge 5ly We must pray to God alone Is any among you afflicted Ja. 5.13 let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes Now when Daniel knew Dan. 6.10 that the writing was signed he went into his House and his windows being open in his Chamber toward Ierusalem he kneeled down upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore time As for me I will call upon God Psal 55.16 and the Lord shall save me There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius a devout man Acts 10.1 2. which gave much Alms to the people and prayed to God alway And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by Prayer and Supplications Dan. 9 3 4. with fasting and sackcloth and ashes And I prayed unto the Lord my God Daniels Prayer and made my Confession and said O Lord the great dreadfull God keeping the Covenant and mercy to them that love him and to them that keep his Commandements Be carefull for nothing Philip. 4.6 but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be praised 2 Sam. 22.4 7. so shall I be saved from mine enemies In my distress I called unto the Lord Davids Prayer and cryed to my God and he did hear my voice out of his Temple and my cry did enter into his ears But when thou prayest enter into thy Closet Mat. 6.6 and when thou hast shut thy Door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly 6ly We must pray with knowledge and with understanding S. Augustin Sonus mentis est intellectus ut Augustin The sound of the mind is understanding S. Augustin and no true prayer can there be without understanding Again publike or Church prayers Publick and Church Prayers are requisite and needfull to shew that that there is and ought to be unanimity and conformity in the Primitive Church And here we are not only to pray for our selves but for all others also of what estate or Conditiou soever they be of I exhort therefore 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all Men. For Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all honesty and godliness For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour And this was the use of the antient Christians Tertullian who as Tertulllian well observeth did pray for all their Emperors that they might have and quietly enjoy Vitam prolixam imperium securum The Prayer of the antient Christians for their Emperors domum tutam exercitus fortes senatum fidelem populum probum orbem quietum et quaecunque hominis et Caesaris vota sunt That they might have and quietly enjoy A happy Life a secure Empire a safe House and habitation strong and forcible Armies a faithfull Senate honest and true-hearted People a quiet World and whatsoever else either Prince or People can any waies wish or desire That offerings be made to the most high God Esdras 6.3 for the King and for his Children and that they may pray for their lives Prayer Prayer compared to Iacobs Ladder as one observeth is like unto Jacobs Ladder which appeared to him in a Dream reaching up to Heaven and which he seemed to see and behold and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending down by it And he dreamed Gen. 28.12 and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached to Heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending on it Even so by Prayer we fly a high pitch we soare aloft we do thereby as it were mount up flye and ascend to Heaven And I said Ps 35.6 O that I had wings like a Dove for then would I flye away and be at rest Meditatio et Oratio S. Bernard sunt ale Columbae as St. Bernard observeth Meditation and prayer are the Wings of the Dove and by these Wings of the Dove is meant Meditation and Prayer as St. Bernard well observeth St. Angustines Prayer to God was S. Augustines Prayer That of all judgements and plagues he would ever free him from a stony-heart or from a benummed or seared Conscience St. Bernard Prayer was this S. Bernards Prayer Bone Jesu esto mihi Jesus O sweet Iesus be thou unto me and to my Soul a Iesus a Saviour Oratio ascendit S. August Gratia descendit Our Prayers do ascend up to Heaven and
the law of the Lord is with us Lo certainly in vain made he it the pen of the Scribes is in vain The wise men are ashamed they are dismayed and taken so they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdome is in them But unto the wicked God saith Psalm 50. ver 16.17 what hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Jesus answered and said unto them Matthew cha 22. vers 29. Ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God And Jesus answering Mark chap. 12. ver 24. said unto them Do ye not therefore erre because ye know not the scriptures neither the power of God Search the scriptures John chap. 5. ver 39. for in them ye think ye have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea Acts chap. 17. ver 10.11 who coming thither went into the Synagogue of the Jews These were more noble than those of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readinesse of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Till I come 1 Timothy ch 4. ver 13. Revelâ—tion ch 3. ver 3. give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophesie and keep those things which are written therein The secret things belong unto the Lord our God Deuteronrmy ch 29. ver 29. but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this law Secondly as we are thus to read and hear the Word of God A preparatory Prayer ought to be used before our Reading and hearing of the Word of God and also to meditate thereon so we are likewise to fit and prepare our selves before hand for the due performance of these so religious duties And this preparation ought to be by our earnest and hearty prayer unto God that he would be graciously pleased to Blesse us in our reading in our hearing of his sacred Word and in our meditations thereon That he would be pleased to open the eyes of our understandings to blesse our memories to sanctifie our affections and so to season us throughout with the lively grace of his holy Spirit inwardly working in us that so thereby we may be the better enabled to turn all our reading hearing meditations and remembrance into a due and carefull practice thereof in the whole course of our lives and conversations And we are likewise to take heed what we hear and how we hear If we desire to profit by Reading of the Word of God Rules by St. Augustin to be observed in Reading the Scriptures we must then duely and carefully observe these few directions given us for that purpose by S. Auguâ—â—ine as namely First we must Read the same with all reverence Secondly we must read the same with all humility Thirdly we must read the same with earnest prayer unto God for his blessing on our labours therein Fourthly we must read the same and so read it as that we make particular application of that which we read unto our selves for direction of our lives For as S. St. Augustine Augustine well observeth Beatus quis beatus est ille homo qui sic legit sacras scripturas ut verba vertat in opera Who is happy even he is a happy man that doth so read the holy scriptures that he may turn all his words into works Again Directions preparatory for our better hearing of the word of God preached if we desire to profit by hearing of the Word of God preached unto us we must then with all care and diligence observe these few following directions as namely First we must hear the same with a holy attention to the word of God Secondly we must look diligently to our hearts that they wander not Thirdly we must come having a resolved obedience to the powerfull word of God Fourthly we must be carefull of our eyes that they wander not that they be neither wanton dull or sluggish Fifthly we must not be asleep in our sinnes as Ionah was in the ship we must not think our selves to be in security Sixthly we must joyn faith to the word heard and believe it And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures 2 Timothy chap. 3. ver 15.16.17 which are able to make thee wise unto falvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Seventhly we must subscribe unto the truth of the word of God Eighthly we must yield a reverent obedience and submission unto the word of God Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ 2 Corinthians chap. 3. ver 3. ministred by us written not with inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart Ninthly we must not come with any prejudicate opinion of the minister we are to hear And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat 1 Kings chap. 22. ver 8. There is yet one man Micaiah the son of Imiah by whom we may enquire of the Lord but I hate him for he doth not prophesie good concerning me but evil And Iehoshaphat said Let not the king say so Now while Paul waited for them at Athens Acts chap. 17. ver 16.17.18 his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the City wholly given to idolatry Therefore disputed he in the Synagogue with the Jews and with the devout persons and in the market daily with them that met with him Then certain of the Philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoicks encountred him and some said What will this babler say other some He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods because he preached unto them Jesus and the Resurrection Tenthly we must draw near and make haste to come and hear the word of God preached unto us we must come willingly thereunto because that God hath commanded and enjoyned us so to do and God hath promised to blesse us in our speaking and in our hearing The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned Isaiah cha 50. ver 4.5 that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary He wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth mine eare to hear as the learned The Lord God hath opened mine eare and I was not rebellious neither turned away back The hearing ear Proverbs chap. 20. ver 12. and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them Behold their eare is
be saved And they said Acts. 16.41 Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Rom. 1.16 17 18. for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth For therein is the righteousnesse of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by faith But the just shall live by his faith Habakkuk 2.4 Hebrews 10.38 Gal. 3.11 Now the just shall live by faith But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for the just shall live by faith But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin Gal. 3 22 23. that the promise by faith of Christ Iesus might be given to them that believe But before faith came we were kept under the law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed By the deeds of the law Rom. 3.20 21 22. there shall no flesh be justified in his fight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin But now the righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested by the Law and the prophets Even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe For all have sinned Rom. 3.23 24 25 26. and come short of the glory of God Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God That he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Iesus To him that worketh nor Rom. 4.5 but beliveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Being justified by faith Rom. 5.1 2. we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Rem 8.1 2. Who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the lâ—w of sin and death For Christ is the end of the law Rom. 10.4 for righteousness to every one that believeth The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart Rom. 10.8 9 10 11. that is the Word of Faith which we preach That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth Confession is made unto salvation For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Whatsoever is not of Faith Rom. 14.23 is sin And whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Rom. 9.33 It pleased God 1 Cor. 1.21 by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe For we walk by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 not by sight I live yet not I Gal. 2.20 but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me They which be of faith are blessed Gal. 3.9 26. with faithfull Abraham For ye are all the Children of God by faith in Christ Iesus In whom also Ephes 1.13 14. after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our Inheritance For by Grace are ye saved through Faith Ephes 2.8 and not of your selves it is the gift of God For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again 1 Thess 4.14 even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Above all things take the shield of Faith Wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked Ephes 1.16 17. Watch ye 1 Cor. 16.13 stand fast in the Faith quit you like men be strong And to whom swore he Heb. 3.18 19 that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief Let us draw near with a true heart Heb. 10.22.23 in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evill Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure water Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithfull that promised Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 the evidence of things not seen But without Faith it is impossible to please him Heb. 11.6 for he that commeth to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him The whole Chapter being special instances of Faith Of the great Power of faith in the true Servants of God who shewed the powerfullnesse of Faith in general and of their Faith in particular Looking unto Jesus Heb. 12.2 the Author and finisher of our Faith Receiving the end of your Faith 1 Pet. 1.9 20. even the salvation of your Souls Who by him do believe in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God Be thou faithfull unto the death Rev. 2.10 and I will give thee the Crown of life Hence is the patience of the Saints Rev. 14.12 here are they that keep that Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus Seventhly Again Christus in veteri Testamaento est velatus Sed in novo Testamento Christus est nobis revelatus Christ in the Old Testament was hid and covered as it were under a veil and was only shadowed out unto us But in the New Testament Christ is there manisestly revealed unto us and the veil of the old Testament by him taken away 2 Cor. 3.13 14 15. And not as Moses which put a veil over his face that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished But their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old Testament which veil is done away in Christ But even to this day when Moses is read the veil is upon their hearts Nevertheless where they shall turn to the Lord the veil shall be taken away And without controversie 1 Tim. 3.16 great is the mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world and received up into glory In the beginning was the Word Iohn 1.1 2 14. and the Word was with God And the same was in the beginning with God 1 Iohn
brotherly kindnesse charity For if these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see farr off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins If we feel these heavenly and divine vertues and graces thus working in us we may then from hence draw unto our selves for our souls comfort a full assurance of our election by God in and through Christ Iesus our blessed Lord and Saviour unto salvation and that our names are recorded written and registred in heaven in the book of life wherein we are onely to rejoyce And the seventy returned again Luke 10.17 18 19 20. with joy saying Even the devils are subject unto us through thy name And he said unto them Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the powers of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce in this because your names are written in heaven Be it known unto you therefore Acts 13.38 39. men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sin And by him all that be here are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses CHAP. IIII. Of Prayer and the force thereof and how necessary and needfull a duty the same is FIrst Oratio est clavis diei that is Prayer is the key that opens the day unto us to put us in mind of Gods protecting of us the night past and of our thankfulnesse to be rendred unto him for the same with commending of our souls and bodies to his protection for the day present Secondly Oratio est sera noctis Prayer ought to shut up the day it is the key that lets in the night unto us with our praise to God for our dayes preservation with a recommendation of our souls and bodies unto his powerfull protection for the night ensueing Hereupon it is said by one With morning prayer the day begin With evening prayer the night shut in Without this prayer sit not to eat Without Gods praise rise not from meat Thirdly Oratio est vinculum invincibile ut S. Bernard S. Bernard Prayer is a bond invincible availing very much if it be fervent The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much James 5.16 17 18. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeares and six moneths And he prayed again 1 Kin. 17.17 and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing Matt. 21.22 ye shall receive Fourthly Oratio est vis Deo grata ut S. Chrysostom Prayer is such a force S. Chrysostom or earnest vehemency as that the same is very acceptable and well-pleasing unto God Fifthly Oratio est clavis Scripturae Origen Origen Prayer is the key that opens the Scripture unto us and enlightens our understandings therein Hereupon in reading of the Scriptures this rule directory is prescribed unto us Read not this Book in any case But with a single eye Read not but first desire Gods grace To understand thereby Sixthly Oratio est Deo sacrificium Augustin St. Augustin Prayer is a sacrifice well-pleasing unto God By him therefore Hebrews 13.15 let us offer the sactifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Seventhly Oratio est Diabolo flagellum S. Augustin St. Augustin Prayer is a whip or scourge unto the Devil to drive him away from us And when he was come into the house Mark 9.28 29. his disciples asked him privately Why could not we cast him out And he said unto them This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting Eighthly Oratio est orauti subsidium St. Augustin S. Augustin Prayer is great help and succour unto him which doth pray in time of misery and affliction and at all times whatsoever I sought the Lord Psal 34.4 6. and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles I cried unto the Lord Psal 3.4 with my voice and he heard me out of his holy hill I will call upon the Lord Psal 18.3 6. who is worthy to be praised so shall I be saved from mine enemies In my distresse I called upon the Lord and cried unto my God he heard my voice out of his temple and my cry came before him even into his eares Call upon me in the time of trouble I will deliver thee Psal 50.15 and thou shalt glorifie me The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him Psal 145.18 19. to all that call upon him in truth He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them In my distresse Psal 120.1 I cried unto the Lord and he heard me O thou that hearest prayer Psal 65.2 unto thee shall all flesh come Ninthly Oratio est armatura inexpugnabilis Prayer is an armour of proof not to be withstood invincible as one observeth It is a principall piece of our spirituall armour Praying alwayes with all prayer Ephes 6.18 and supplications in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints Tenthly Orationes sunt tormenta Christianorum ut Pater Prayers and supplications are the gunns of Christians as it were to shoot up their prayers unto heaven Give me those groanes St. Chrysostom and sighes quae non sunt ostentationis sed compunctiouis which proceed not from vain ostentation and boasting but from the compunction or pricking of the conscience St. Chrysostom As touching Prayer Observations touching prayer and the use thereof these observations do arise as namely First The great necessity of Prayer The necessity of Prayer in these regards following First Satan seeks to destroy and devour us and therefore we ought to pray for deliverance Be sober 1 Pet. 5.8 9. be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in the faith Resist the devil James 4.7 8. and he will flee from you Draw nigh unto God and he will draw nigh to you Secondly the world will allure us and therefore we are to pray for assistance Thirdly the flesh will betray us and therefore we are to pray for defence Fourthly the wicked will seduce us and therefore we are to to pray for continuance My son if sinners entice thee Prov. 1.10 11 14 15
good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose Bonis bona malis mala Good things to good men and ill things to ill men as one observeth Tametsi non bonum tamen in bonum ut St. Augustin Nay St. Augustin though the things be not good yet they work for the good of the godly And as St. Bernard observeth Afflictions do make a man to be more humble wary S. Bernard and cautious in his wayes Afflictions and crosses though harmfull to others yet prove helpfull to the godly Yet even their sins though not not good yet they turn to their good as a means to make them more lowly more wary Yea death it self though in it self it be evil and the punishment of sin yet it is a means to free them both from sin and from all the fruits and effects of it and to restore them to that life again which by sin once they lost But now Rom. 6.22 23. being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. For thou wilt save the afflicted people Psal 18.27 but wilt bring down high looks For he hath not despised Psal 22.24 nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted neither hath he hid his face from him but when he cried unto him he heard him Afflictions do make us fit vessels for Gods choice I have chosen thee Isaiah 48.10 in the furnace of affliction Whatsoever is brought upon thee Ecclus 2.4 5 6 take cheerfully and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate For gold is tried in the fire and acceptable men in the surnace of adversity Believe in him and he will help thee order thy way aright and trust in him As gold in the furnace hath he tried them Wisd 3.6 and 4.5 and received them as a burnt-offering For though they be punished in the sight of men yet is their hope full of immortality And having been a little chastised they shall be greatly rewarded for God proved them and found them worthy for himself For we know 2 Cor. 5.1 2. that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved We have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea Isaiah 26.9 with my spirit within me will I seek thee early in the morning for when thy Judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Meaning Exposition That by afflictions men will learn to fear God as the exposition is Afflictions are chastisements for our sins Jesus said unto him John 5.14 Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Thereby shewing that the afflictions which we endure The marginall note and observation Nehem. 9.38 are chastisements for our sins as the marginall note and observation is Now because of all this we make a sure covenant and write it and our Princes and our Levites and our priests seal unto it Thus by affliction they promise to keep Gods commandements The marginall note and observation whereunto they would not be brought by Gods great benefits as the marginall note and observation is Wo unto him that striveth with his maker Isaiah 45.9 the potsherd with the potsherds of the earth shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou Hereby he bridleth their impatiency Exposition which in adversity and trouble murmure against God and will not tarry his pleasure willing that man should march with his like and not contend against God as the Exposition is But Hezekiah the king 2 Chro. 32.20 and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amos prayed against this or for this cause and cried to heaven This sheweth what is the best refuge in all troubles and dangers Exposition as the Exposition is After troubles and afflictions God comforteth his afflicted children with his blessings God useth to comfort his children and servants which do cry unto him with his blessings powred down upon them And many brought offerings unto the Lord to Ierusalem 2 Chro. 32.23 and presents to Hezekiah king of Iudah so that he was magnified in the sight of all Nations from thenceforth Thus after trouble Exposition God sendeth comfort to all them that patiently wait on him and constantly put their trust in his mercies as the exposition is Misery and afflictions are of this good use as that they do excite Afflâ—ctions work in a man repentance and humiliation and stirr up a man to repentance as a Father observeth and that punishments with afflictions will open the eyes of a mans understanding and draw him to God by repentance and humiliation when nothing else will And when he was in tribulation 2 Chron. 33.12 13. he prayed unto the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers And prayed unto him and God was entreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him again to Ierusalem into his kingdome Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God Thus Affliction giveth understanding Exposition for he that hated God in his prosperity now in his misery he seeketh unto him as the exposition is The due consideration hereof will be a continuall comfort unto us and as our souls cordiall in all times of affliction and even then most of all when all other comforts fail us CHAP. VI. A Meditation upon Life and Death and how we are at all times and upon all occasions to fit and prepare our selves for death that so it seize not upon us at unawares FIrst of our life First Of our life here and the due consideration thereof Our life here is a sea-fare a way-fare and a warr-fare First Our life is a sea-fare They that go down to the sea Our life here is a sea-fare Psal 107.23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31. in ships that do businesse in great waters These see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof They mount up to the heaven they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresse He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still Then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them to their desired haven Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull works to the children of men Secondly Our life here is a way-fare full of troubles Our life here