Eccl. Hift. Saul enquired of the Lord. Thefe places may thus be reconciled, Though Saul did after a manner enquire: yet not in truth and faith,his enquiring was after a flight manner,after an hypocriticall formall way, like that of Balaam, Numb. 23. 10. Let me dye the death of the righteous, and let my last enl be like unto his and like unto Ifraels howling, Hof. 7. 14. And they have not cryed to me with their hearts, when they bowled upon their beds, they assembled themfelves for corne and wine, &c. Wherefore then thould we give God a flight fervice. He requireth the Male, the beft of the flocks and theres a dreadfull Curfe, Mal. 1. 14. Curfed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a Male, and voweth and facrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing. Vse 2. For But in the fecond place here is a word of exhortation that we Exhortation. would all unite our forces for the Church in generall, even the whole body of Chrift, however difperfed and diftreffed throughout the world. How many of Chrifts body fuffer hard things? Some are imprisoned we must pray for the prifoners enlargement. Some are under Antichriftian Tyranny, and Chrift hath a Chorch even where Satan dwells, we muft pray that they may hold faft their profeffion without wavering. Great things God hath granted to a praying people, and he is the fame God, fill as good and as gracious as ever. The Army called Keggurobi, prayed and raine was poured down in abundance, to refresh the Pagan Army of the Emperour, Infomuch ex ore adverfariorum, it was confelt great was the God of the Christians. Contantine that excellent Prince and Patron of Chriftians, would not after the example of his Predeceffours,fuffer his picture to be drawn ftanding in a fate. ly posture but kneeling, for he afcribed his victories to the answer of prayers. Let us remember likewife all the diftreffed Churches beyond the Seas,fuch as are in mifery,where their enemies are the chiefe, we thould give them the Charity of o ir prayers, counfells, compations,purfes, & our Bowells thould be opened wide towards their releafe. Polonia & other places cry out in the language of Job, Job.19.21. to his friends, Have pity upon me,have pity upon me, Oye my friends, for the band of God hath touched me. To fuch as are afflicted pitty fhould be fhewed: We fhould all imitate the Apoftle being alike affected with our Brethren,rejoycing with them that rejoyce &c. We (hould make their cafes our own, of this excellent temper was the 2 Cor.11.29 Apoftle. Who is weake anl I am not weake? who is offended and I burn burn not? as if all the burthens of the Saints, were laid upon his thoulders, he was willing to beare them all. Jerome writing a commentary upon Ezekiel, and hearing of the facking of Rome, a place where he formerly lived, was fo affected that a long time he could think of nothing elfe: He laid to heart fo much the suffering of Gods people there, as he imagined himselfe to be in their ftead. Furthermore in a more particular manner, let us remember in our prayers the Land of our Nativity, the Church of England, Scotland and Ireland. We expe& fhortly a Parliament, and we hope in the multitude of Councellours, there may be fafety. Formerly we have been fruftrated of our expectations: High-raifed hopes have been disappointed. That of the Prophet may truely be applyed to this purpose: Haft thou utterly rejected Judah bath thy Jer.14.19. foule loathed Zion, why ball thou fmitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, and there is no good, and for the time of healing, and behold trouble. We have been justly croft in our hopes, becaufe we have Idolized men, and relyed too much upon an arme offlesh. We are to call upon the great counfell as the man of Macedonia did, Come and help us, and they likewife call upon us, help us with your prayers. We may hope to speed the better, if we pray the more. Let us pray as one man, that the Lord would inftru&t the Counselllours after his own will, and teach the Senators wifdome. What farther I fhall fpeak in this ufe, fhall come under these two heads. 1. What speciall things we muft pray for, that our Jerufalem, our Church of England may be eftablifhed a praife in the earth. 2. What moving inducements may be aflign'd, to incourage us in the duty of prayer. For the firft, Above all we must pray for the advancement of Religion, for the establishing the power of Godlmefle. It is Religion that beautifies and adorns a Nation: the Kings daughter, Gods Church and People are glorious within, their decking is of pure gold. Grace ennobles and puts a glorious luftre upon a people. To name a few particulars. 1. Let us in an efpeciall manner, pray for the encreafe of God- 1. Pray for ly Magiftrates, Reprovers in the gate, fuch as will do judgment Magifhates. and juftice. There is a great promife made in thofe Gospell daies, Ifaiah 2. Pray for Minifters. Ifaiah 49.23. Kings hall be thy nurfing Fathers, and their Qeens thy nurfing Mothers, they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet, &c. Our duty is to pray for then, fo runs the Apoftles command, 1.Tim. 2. 1. I exbort therefore that first of all fupplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, for Kings &c. Godly Rulers are a bleifing to a Nation, Jer. 5. 1. Run ye to and fro thorough the Streets of Jerufalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if yee can find a man if there be any that executeth judgment, that feeeth the truth, and I will pardon it. So Amos 5. 15. Hate the evill and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of boats will be gracious unto the remnant of Jofeph. Where fuch Magiftrates are, we must pray for their continuance, and for a fupply of their mortality, that the Lord would fend continually fuch as may difpence juftice impartially, and may be a terror unto evill doers, and a praife to them that do well. 2. Pray for faithfull foul-faving Minifters. Many fuch in mercy the Lord hath given us.We must pray that the Lord would increase the number of them. But the Prophets live not for ever, wherefore we must pray for a Godly fucceffion of Minifters, that fuch. may be incouraged, who are workmen that needeth not to be ashamed,and fuch may be removed as unfavory falt, who make the facrifice of God to be abhorred. There are yet left a faithfull remnant, found in the faith, and holy in life (who are as farre from Antichriftianifme, as their falie acculers are from Charity) who la-bour in feason, and out of season, and are willing to spend, and be spent for the falvation of foules. Thefe in an especiall manner must be incouraged by our prayers, that the Lord would give them The feale of their Apostleship, and make their Ministry inftrumentall to convert and build up foules unto Jefus Chrift. And we must likewise be until Advocates and Patrons of S. Benjamin their maintenance. It was the faying of an eminent Gentleman in the long Parliament, that a fcandalous maintenance would caufe a fcandalous Ministry. It's to be observed that Dioclefian did. not do fo much mischiefe to the Miniftry it fe fe as Julian did. Dioclefian put many to death, which was an horrid wickedneffe. But the Devill put another defigne into Julians head, to take away all the maintenance of Minifters Ruliard. and put Schooles of Learning, and Ecclefiafticall Hiftories will informe us, that by confequent, Julian did the greater mifchiefe. For though fome particular perfons were took out of the way through Dioclefian's perfecution,yet there arofe up others in their ftead. But the taking away of all their lands, and revenues, did hinder a fucceffion of Minifters. And the robbing of Schooles of learning, discouraged many from the ftudy of learned Arts and Sciences. 3. Let us all pray for the continuance of Gofpell Ordinances 3. Pray for in their Liberty and purity. This is that which made Ifrael praife- the Continuworthy in the eyes of the Nations: Deut. 46. 7. Keep therefore ance of the Goffell. and do them for this is your wisdome, and your understanding in the fight of the Nations, which shall heare all these statutes and fay, furely this great Nation is a wife, and understanding people. For what Nation is there fo great, who hath God fo nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things, that we call upon him for? The Gofpell of Chrift, the Word and Sacraments adminiftred in their purity, the Sabbath kept ftri&ly, all these will be the praise and glory of our Nation. Ifai.60.17. 4. Pray for the peace of Jerufalem, both for Civill and Ecclefi- 4. Pray for afticall peace. Pray for Civill peace: It's to me a great wonder that the peace of amidst all the concuffions, and revolutions of these times, we injoy Jerufalem. peace,that we fit under our own Vines, and Fig-trees,that meum & tuum are in fome measure preserved, that publick Courts of Justice are opened,and that the fword is not put to the decifion of all con troverfies. We frould pray that peace may be continued, that all ourOfficers may be peace and exaciors righteoufneffe I know none that hath his eyes in his head,or grace in his heart that is willing to imbroyl the Nation in another civill war. We know by fad expericn.e the Calamities of War,how thankfull ought we to be for the peace we yet in joy, and how ought we to pray for the continuance of it, that Peace may be extended as a river,and righteousnesse like a mighty ftreame. For Ecclefiafticall peace we must pray: there are two great Prophecies, Zeph.3.9. Then will I turn to the people, a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to ferve him with one Ifai.66.12. confent. And Zach. 13. 9. I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as Sylver is refined, and trye them as Gold is tryed, they shall call upon my name, and I will heare them, I will Say it is my people, and they shall fay the Lord is my God. There is an Unity of the fpirit, which we muft endeavour to keep,and there LIIII 3 are are feaven Ones mentioned, Eph. 4. 4, 5, 6. One body, one fpirit, one hope, one God, one faith, one baptifme, one God and Father of all, &c. I remember a patheticall fpeech, which Luther ufeth to the Pastors of the Church of Strusburg, Vobis oro perfwadeatis &c. ( i. e. ) I pray you fath he) be perfwaded that I shall alwaies be as defirous to embrace unity, and concord, as I am defirous to have the Lord JeQuis non vitâ fus to be propitious to me: Martin Bucer writes to a Godly Minietiam fuare fter very high expreffions. IVho woull not faith he purchase with dimat fubmotum ifthuc in- bis life the removing of that infinite fcandall that comes by diffention? finitum diffi- Wherefore let us ftudy the things that make for peace and edifidii fcanda- cation. Let dividing names be laid afide amongst found Christian: lum? Bucer. Quirites once named, Cefars fouldiers were pacified. O that Chri 1 Motive God Stian being named, union and reconciliation might be obtained! Let us all labour to approve our felves menibers of the Church of Jefus Christ, as living ftones in that building. The Apostle blaines the Corinthians for fiding, and making partyes, 1 Cor. 1. 11, 12. It hath been declared to me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the House of Cloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I fay, that every one of you faith, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollo, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. The name of Christian should fwallow up names of divifion. Now for Motives, the fecond thing propounded, here I fhall will make fe- adde two only. rufalem a praife. 1. That God will make Jerufalem a praife in the earth. For firft, Believe it God will not faile one tittle of his word. 1. Because he All the promises made unto Jerufalem, thall every one be fulfilled promifcth. in their feafon: Pfal. 48. 1,2. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God, in the mountain of his Holyneffe, beautifull for Situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion, on the fides of the North, the City of the great King. And Pfal. 50. 2. Out of Sion, the perfection of beauty, God bath shined. For luftanice: Greater thall be the light of knowledge of the Church in the Cofpell. Ifai. 11.9. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea, Ifai. 60. 1, 19. Arife, shine for thy light: is come, and the glory of the Lord is rifen upon thee. Verf. 19. The Sun (hall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee, but the Lord fhall be unto thee an everla sting light, and thy God thy glory. Thefe great Promifes referre unto the Gofpell,, |