The Whole Armor of God, Exegesis · Treatise 3 · Part 2 · Section 106 – Section 116
§. 106. Of the continuance of a Faſt.
TO know the right and due continuance of a faſt, it is needfull to put difference betwixt a faſt in whole, and in part. A faſt in whole is ſuch a faſt as wee hauehave deſcribed, wherein there is an vtter abſtinence (except in caſe of neceſſity) from refreſhing the body with any food at all. A faſt in part, is when a man taketh ſome nouriſhment in the daies of his faſt:What is a faſt in part. and this is when there is occaſion of faſting longer then a man is able to forbeare all manner of ſuſtenance: for example a man of great vſe, whoſe death is a very great loſſe, is ſtrucken with a dangerous ſickneſſe, and lieth betwixt hope and feare ſome weeke or more: their iſſue being vnknowne, his friends earneſtly deſirous of his life, continue to faſt and pray eueryevery day, till they ſee what iſſue the Lord will giuegive: now becauſe of the long continuance of ſuch a faſt, eueryevery day they take one meale to preſerue the ſtrength of their body. The like faſt may bee vſed when a City is beſieged, and the inhabitants incloſed by their enemies on eueryevery ſide. Now becauſe ſuch a faſt may be long indured, and the occaſion thereof may bee longer or ſhorter, no ſet time can be ſet for the continuance of it, but onelyonly that it bee ordered according to the occaſion that God giueth.
As for the other more true and proper Faſt, a Faſt in whole, which was deſcribed *§. 102. & 103. before, and whereof we doe now eſpecially ſpeake; a whole naturall day is a fitte time for the continuance of it.A naturall da… is a fit time for a proper Faſt. Our naturall day conſiſteth of foure and twenty houres: Of leſſe continuance a Religious Faſt (as I take it) may not be. In the Law the day of a faſt is called a Sabbath:Leu. 16. 31. the time of a Sabbath muſt therefore bee allotted vntounto it: now a Sabbath containeth the ſeuenth part of a weeke, which is foure and twenty houres. Where Eſther inioyneth a Faſt of three daies,Eſt. 4. 16. ſhee mentioneth the night as well as the daies, ſhewing thereby, that the night muſt bee reckoned as a part of that day wherein a Faſt is obſerued.
In the ſpace of foure and twenty houres onelyonly one ordinary meale is forborne, (the Faſt beginning at the end of one meale, and when the Faſt is ended, another meale being taken:) but leſſe then one meale in a Faſt cannot be forborne. This therefore is the ſhorteſt time, which yet will appeare to be long enough, if a Faſt be rightly and duly obſerued. For the laſt meale which is taken before a Faſt, ought to be a very moderate & ſpare meale; ſo moderate, as ſo ſoone as it is taken, wee may without heauineſſe, drowſineſſe, and dulneſſe, ſet ouſelues to examination, meditation, conference, reading, prayer, and ſuch like religious exerciſes in priuate, as a preparation vntounto the more ſolemne exerciſes to bee performed in a Faſt. Moſt meet it is that this preparation be in the euening, and the Faſt then to beginne. From euen to euen (ſaith the Law) ſhall ye celebrate your Sabbath: Leu. 23. 32.meaning a Faſt. So as immediatly after a ſpare ſupper, all ſeruile workes of our calling laide aſide, the forenamed preparation is to beginne, and continue ſo long as conueniently wee can ſit vp, euen longer and later then on other daies we vſe to goe to bed. Then after ſome ſleepe is taken, in the next morning riſing ſooner then ordinarily we vſe to doe, after ſome renewing of our preparation, the reſt of the time euen till the foure & twenty houres from the beginning of our euening preparation, be ended, is to be ſpent in the ſolemne exerciſes of Religion appertaining to a Faſt. If a Faſt be continued, as hath been before ſet downe, two whole dayes, it is as much as our weake nature can wel endure, without impairing the health and ſtrength of our body.
Obiect. Paul, Acts 27. 33.and they which were in the ſhip with him, faſted foureteene dayes, and tooke nothing.
Anſw. They are ſaid to faſt,In what ſence Paul and his company are ſaid to faſt 14. dayes. becauſe being all that time in danger of their liues, much perplexed, and buſied in ſauing the ſhip, they had no leaſure to take one ordinary meale: ſo as that was not a propper Faſt, but yet an extraordinary abſtinence, no more taken then was neceſſary to preſerue life: and therefore Paul fearing leſt ſome of them might faint, exhorted them to take ſome meate, adding this reaſon, This is for your health, as for this phraſe (They tooke nothing) it is but an hyperbolicall ſpeech.
2 Obiect. Eſther, Eſther 4. 16.and the Iewes in her time faſted three dayes and three nights together.
Anſw. The Iewes liued vnderunder an hotter climate then we doe, and in that reſpect could endure to faſt longer then wee which liue in the Northerne and colder part of the world.
§. 107. Of Supplication, the moſt principall end of a Religious Faſt.
THe laſt point noted in the deſcription of a Religious Faſt, concerneth thoſe duties of Religion which are the end of a Faſt, and for our better fitting, whereunto a Faſt is vndertaken. The moſt principall duty of all is ſupplication: whereunto as ſubordinate to prayer, may be added Examination, humiliation, mortification, &c. Becauſe extraordinary prayer is the moſt eſpeciall end of faſting, I hauehave annexed faſting as an helpe thereunto: for which I hauehave good warrant by the vſuall tenour of the Scripture, which ioineth Faſting and Prayer together. When the Prophets ſaw cauſe to vſe extraordinary Prayer, they were wont to call vponupon the people to faſt.Ioel 2. 15. 17. Sanctifie a Faſt (ſaith Ioel) when vponupon an extraordinary occaſion he preſcribed a forme of prayer for them to vſe. In like manner ſaith Ezra; Ezr. 8. 21.I proclaimed a Faſt, that we might ſeeke of God a right way, &c. And accordingly they obſerued his direction, and ioined faſting and prayer together: for ſaith he, We faſted, and be ſought our God, Verſe 23.&c. So ſaith Nehemiah of himſelfe,Nehe. 1. 4. I faſted and prayed. And of the Church in the new Teſtament, it is ſaid, when they ſent forth Paul and Barnabas, Acts 13. 3.they faſted and prayed: and when they ordained Elders,Acts 14. 23. they Prayed and faſted.
Great reaſon there is to adde Faſting to extraordinary Prayer:Why Faſting is added to Prayer. for when there is an extraordinary occaſion of Prayer, extraordinary ardency and continuance in prayer muſt be vſed, as was*§. 95. before ſhewed. Now faſting doth quicken our ſpirits,1 Faſting is an helpe to Prayer. and rowſe vp our dull hearts, and ſo both ſharpen our prayers, adding life and efficacy vntounto them, and alſo make vsus able to hold out, and continue the longer in Prayer. For as fulneſſe maketh a man drowſie in body, and heauy in ſpirit, (ſo as he can neither pray ardently, nor continue long in prayer) ſo faſting maketh him freſh and cheerefull both in body and ſpirit. Note the moſt ardent & long continued ſupplications in Scripture,2 Faſting is a ſigne of our earneſt deſire. and you ſhall find them ſupported by faſting. Beſides, as faſting is an helpe to prayer, ſo it is a teſtification of our vehement & earneſt deſire of obtaining that which we pray for: for by our voluntary abſtaining from ordinary foode, and other delights of our body, we ſhew that we preferre the thing which we pray for, before them.
The other duties which were reckoned vp among the ends of a Religious Faſt, as Examination, humiliation, and mortification, (as was before noted) ſubordinate vntounto Prayer, and helpefull thereunto: In that faſting therefore is vſed for the better performance of them, in the vſe of them it proueth to be a further helpe for prayer; which will the better appeare, if diſtinctly we conſider how faſting maketh vsus more fit to performe theſe duties.
§. 108. Of Examination, another end of Faſting.
COncerning Examination of our ſelues,Examination needfull for Prayer. we cannot be ignorant, but that when any needfull extraordinary bleſſing is to be obtained, or any iudgement to be preuented or remoued, it is very requiſite to ſearch whether there be not any ſinne in vsus which may make our prayers to be reiected and not regarded. That which the Lord ſaid of the Army of Iſrael in Ioſuahs time,Ioſ. 7. 11. 12. may be applied to particular perſons, namely, that if they did not ſearch, and find out, and take away the execrable, and excommunicate among them, the Lord would not be with them any more:Lam. 3. 40, 41. wherefore the Prophet exhorteth firſt to ſearch, and trie our wayes, and turne to the Lord; and then to lift vp our hearts with our hands vntounto God in the Heauens.
Now by faſting,How faſting is an helpe to examination. we both gaine more time for examination, (euen that time which otherwiſe would be ſpent in ſleeping, eating, drinking, and other like things, which in the day of a Faſt are forborne) and alſo make ourſelues more fit thereto, in that our ſpirits are cheered, and our hearts rowſed vp thereby, as was noted*§. 104. before. This the Saints well knew, and therefore were wont in the dayes of their Faſt to enter into a ſerious and ſolemne examination of their owne, and of others ſinnes. Reade the Prayer that Ezra made in the day of his Faſt,Ezr. 9. 6, &c. and in it you may obſerue how he ſearcheth out the ſinnes of the Iewes in his time, which had prouoked the wrath of God, and ſetteth them in order before God. So did the Leuites in that Faſt which was kept in Nehemiahs time.Nehe. 9. 16, &c.
§. 109. Of Humiliation, a third end of Faſting.
COncerning Humiliation, Humiliation needfull for Prayer.it is well knowne, that they which looke to preuaile by Prayer with God, muſt come before him with an humbled heart. To him (ſaith the Lord) will I looke that is poore, Iſa. 66. 2. How faſting is an helpe to humiliation.and of a contrite ſpirit. Now by faſting wee manifeſt our vnworthineſſe of the leaſt of Gods bleſſings, and ſo teſtifie great humiliation; yea, the very rites of a Faſt are a means to humble the ſoule ſomewhat the more. By laying aſide our beſt apparell, by our voluntary abſtinence from Gods Creatures, by forbearing ſome of our ordinary ſleepe, and by refuſing in other reſpects to refreſh our bodies, we ſhew that we thinke our ſelues vnworthy of any outward delights, yea of the leaſt crumme of bread, and drop of water. In old time they were wont to weareaIon. 3. 5. Dan. 9. 3. ſack-cloth in the time of a Faſt, to ſhew that the worſt cloathing was good enough: andbNeh 9. 1. Ioſ. 7. 6. to lay duſt vponupon their heads, to ſhew that they thought themſelues more worthy to be vnderunder the ground, then to tread vponupon it. Againe, when we faſt, becauſe God is diſpleaſed for our ſinne, and as a token of his diſpleaſure, inflicteth ſome iudgement vponupon vsus, we doe not only manifeſt our great griefe for diſpleaſing God, but alſo after an holy manner take vengeance of our ſelues, which is an eſpeciall point of humiliation, commended in the Corinthians.2. Cor. 7. 11.
§. 110. Of Mortification, a fourth end of faſting.
COncerning Mortification, Mortification needfull for prayer.*§. 20.It hath been before ſhewed, that the luſts of the fleſh, and the wanton affections therof, are a great hindrance to feruent prayer: being as birdlime to the fethers of a fowle, which keepe it from mounting high. Yea it is more cleare then needs be proued, that they continually fight againſt the ſpirit, and are a meanes to quench it; ſo as the ſpirit is kept from making requeſts for vsus, ſo long as luſt boyleth and domineereth in vsus. Neceſſarie it is therefore, that in this reſpect the body be beaten downe, and brought into ſubiection. But faſting is an eſpeciall meanes to ſubdue our wanton fleſh,How faſting is an helpe to mortification. and corrupt luſts: for as pampering our bodies addeth ſtrength to the olde man, ſo faſting mortifieth it, and keepeth it downe. The Apoſtle, where he implieth,1. Cor. 7. 5. that while man and wife giuegive themſelues to faſting and prayer, may the better abſtaine, intimateth that by faſting and prayer luſt is ſubdued.
§. 111. Of faſting now vnderunder the New Teſtament.
BY that which hath hitherto beene deliuered in explication of a religious Faſt, we may well conclude, that it is a warrantable, commendable and needfull exerciſe: Warrantable, becauſe commended: Commendable, becauſe the practiſe thereof is commended: Needfull, becauſe of the ends*§. 107. &c. before Propounded. It is therefore an exerciſe carefully and conſcionably to be obſerued of vsus.
Obiect. It is no where commanded in the new Teſtament.
Anſw. 1.The commā dement of faſting is of perpetuall force. The Apoſtles and Churches practiſe thereof in the time of the Goſpell, ſheweth that the Commandements of the old Teſtament concerning faſting, were not as other ceremoniall ordinances, of force only for the time of the law, but of perpetuall vſe ſo long as a Church ſhould remaine on earth.
2 The anſwere which Chriſt gaue to the Phariſies in defence of his Diſciples not faſting,Matth. 9. 15. in theſe words, The daies will come when the Bridegrome ſhall bee taken from them, and then ſhall they faſt, hath the force of a precept.
3 The ſame occaſions, and the ſame ends of faſting which were vnderunder the Law, ſtill remaine vnderunder the Goſpell (what theſe occaſions and ends are, hath bin ſhewed *§. 104. 107, &c.before) wherefore, as we make conſcience of other duties, ſo let vsus make conſcience of this alſo. As God doth manifeſt his iuſt indignation againſt vsus, by threatning or inflicting any iudgement, or by with-holding, or taking away any bleſſing, ſo let vsus manifeſt our true humiliation by faſting.Motiues to fast. Faſting added to prayer, maketh it extraordinarily powerfull, as appeareth by theſe three euidences.
1 By the great and wonderfull things which the Saints hauehave obtained thereby.1. Sam. 1. 5. &c. Annah, though the Lord had made her barren, obtained a childe. The Iewes in Iehoſaphats time obtained an extraordinary victorie.2. Chro. 20. 3, 22. And in Eſthers time a memorable preſeruation. Many like examples are noted in the Scripture.Eſther 4. 16.
2 By that reſpect which God hath had to the faſting of Hypocrites:1. King. 21. 29. as is noted in the example of Ahab. If God were moued to ſtay a temporall iudgement threatned againſt a wicked man vponupon his temporary humiliation by faſting, what will he not doe vponupon the true humiliation of his faithfull children by faſting?
3 By that inſtance which Chriſt giueth of caſting out ſuch a kinde of Diuell by faſting and prayer,Matth. 17. 21. as by no other meanes can be caſt out. If an extraordidary Diuell may be caſt out by faſting and prayer, when he hath gotten poſſeſſion in a man, how much more may diabolicall paſſions and corruptions bee caſt out of a man by this meanes? No maruell that the Diuell ſo much preuaileth eueryevery where, ſeeing this ſoueraigne meanes of weakening his power is ſo much neglected. We in this Land hauehave done our ſelues much wrong by neglect of this duty:
That which*§. 115. afterwards ſhall be ſpoken of motiues to extraordinary prayer, and of our negligence therein, may in particular be applied to this helpe of prayer.
§. 112. Of Vowes.
THe other helps to extraordinary prayer is making of Vowes, which is both expreſly commanded, (Pſalm… 76. 11.) and alſo hath been by Gods children much practiſed. Iaakob vowed a vow to God as he was going to his vnkle Laban, Vowes an helpe to extraordinary prayer.(Gen. 28. 20. 21.) So did Annah (1 Sam. 1. 11) Dauid (Pſal. 132. 2.) and many other Saints.
*foreign. Ea proprie intelligenda eſt oratio, quam facimus ad votum, id eſt foreign. Auguſt. Epiſt. 59. Reaſons.Vowing is ſo proper to praying that the Greek word which in the new Teſtament moſt vſually ſignifieth praier, ſeemeth to be drawen from a vow.
1 To vow in praying doth much ſharpen our praiers, and make vsus more eagerly call vponupon God.
2 It doth manifeſt a very earneſt deſire of obtaining the thing we deſire: it argueth that we are willing to doe any thing, or part with any thing to obtaine it.
3 It doth as it were ſet a tutor ouer vsus, to call vponupon vsus to perform our duty, to check vsus when we are ſlack therein, and to keepe vsus within that compaſſe that we hauehave ſet vntounto our ſelues.
Obiect. This was a thing belonging rather to the pedagogy of the Iewes, then to the ripe age of Chriſtians vnderunder the Goſpell.
Anſw. Indeede becauſe the Church before Chriſts time was but in her non-age, in compariſon of that manage whereunto ſince Chriſts time it is growne, vowes were then more vſuall, then they are now. Yea at that time their voluntary vowes were parts of Gods worſhip, as other rites and cerimonies which were inioyned them of God were, whereunto we are not now ſo ſtrictly bound. So as there is ſome difference betwixt the time of the Law, and of the Goſpell in this reſpect. Yet notwithſtanding are not all vowes, and the vſe of them vtterly aboliſhed: they ſtill remaine lawfull and helpfull vntounto vsus.
For though wee are attained to a riper age then that of the Iewes, yet are we not come to a perfect age▪ wee are but children in regard of that meaſure of the age of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, Eph. 4. 13.whereunto the ſpirits of iuſt and per…ect men in Heauen attaine. So as ſtill we hauehave need of helps: and among other helps, this of vowes is needful, and may be profitable vntounto vsus.
§. 113. Of the things which concur to the making of a lawfull vow.
VVHerefore for our direction in vſing this helpe,Directions for making vows. wee muſt obſerue what things concur to the making of a good and lawfull vowe: euen thoſe foure things whereby eueryevery thing is made good, the foure cauſes, which are, 1. The maker of the vow. 2. The matter of it. 3. The manner thereof. 4. The end.
1 The perſon who maketh a vow,1 Who may make a vowe. muſt be both of vnderſtanding, and alſo of power to make it. In vowing we hauehave to doe with God, who muſt not be dallied withall, nor mocked. They who deale with him muſt well conceiue what they doe; (wherefore Ideots, children, frenſie perſons, and ſuch like, are not fit to vow) they muſt alſo hauehave an ability to performe what they vow (wherefore ſuch as are vnderunder the authority and command of others may not vow, in ſuch caſes wherein their Gouernours may croſſe their vow.)
2 The thing vowed,2 What may be vowed. muſt bee both lawfull and poſſible.Acts 23. 18. To vow to commit a ſinne (as the Iewes vowed to kill Paul) is a double iniquity. To vowe that which we are not able to doe (as many who vow perpetuall continency) is a plaine mockery.
3 In regard of the manner,3 How a vow is to be made. a vow muſt be made freely and maturely. A vowe is a kinde of ſpirituall offering, it muſt therefore bee a free will offering, or elſeaPſal. 119. 18. can it not be acceptable to God. It is not meete for Parents to force their children, or any man to force another to make a vowe.
A vow is alſo a matter of weight, it muſt bee made in iudgement vponupon due conſideration and deliberation, not raſhly or vnaduiſedly.bIudg. 11. 30, 31. Herein did Ieptha (though otherwiſe a good man) offend. Raſh vowes canſe either much miſcheefe, or much repentance.In vouendo ſtultus in reddendo impius. Hier Ibid.
4 There be two maine ends of a vow.4 Why a vowe is to be made. One to preuent or redreſſe ſome ſinne (as for a man which is of a flexible diſpoſition, and much drawne away by vaine company to vow againſt ſuch and ſuch company: or for a man that hath a light braine, and is ſoone made drunken with ſtrong beere and wine, to vow againſt theſe.) The other to hold a man cloſe to ſome duty; as to vow eueryevery day to reade ſo much, or ſo much of the Scripture, morning and euening to pray, to ſanctifie the Sabbath, &c.
Obiect. Wee are bound to performe all theſe things, though they bee not vowed.
Anſw. We vow thoſe things which wee are otherwiſe bound to doe, in regard of our owne dulneſſe and backwardnes, that ſo we may by a double bond (one of Gods law, the other of our vow) be the more prouoked to doe them. Iaakobs vow made to God in theſe words: (The Lord ſhall be my God:) was a duty commanded. Gen. 28. 21.
A vow being thus made, wee are bound in conſcience to performe it: c Pay therefore that which thou haſt vowed. It is better that thou ſhouldeſt not vow, then that thou ſhouldeſt vow and not pay it.
§. 114. Of publike and priuate Faſts and vowes.
AS the occaſions of faſting and vowing are publike or priuate, ſo muſt they bee done publikly or priuately. Becauſe there was a publike iudgement on the land,dIoel. 2. 14. Ioel the Prophet called the people to a publike faſt.eEzra 10. 3. So likewiſe Ezra cauſed a publike vow to to made of all the people. Annahs occaſion was priuate and particular, accordingly was her f faſt and g vow.
A publike faſt or vow muſt bee appointed by publike authority (as were all the publike faſts and vowes recorded and commended in the Scripture) and performed by all that are vnderunder their authority, & in their dominion who command it. When Iehoſaphat proclaimed a publike faſt, it is noted that they came out of all the Cities of Iudah: and when Ioſiah made a publike vow and Couenant with the Lord: He cauſed all that were found in Iudah, and Beaiamine to ſtand to it.
The Miniſters of the word, ought to put the Magiſtrates in minde of theſe extraordinary exerciſes, when there is occaſion (as Ioel did) The Magiſtrate ought to appoint them: and Magiſtrates, Miniſters, People, and all obſerue them: and for the better obſeruing thereof, aſſemble together in publike places, and vſe the publike Miniſtery of the word: for which wee hauehave a notable patterne of the Iewes in the time of Nehemiah: for when the people were all aſſembled together, with faſting to make a ſolemne vowe:Neh. 9 3. the Leuites read in the book of the Law of the Lord their God, one fourth part of the day, and another fourth part of the day they confeſſed, and worſhipped the Lord their God. Theſe two fourth parts, were all the time that paſſed betwixt the morning and euening Sacrifice, namely from nine to three.
As for priuate faſts & vowes if they be performed in a family, the Maſter thereof who is a King, Prieſt, and Prophet in his owne houſe, hath the ordering therof. But eueryevery particular Chriſtian hath liberty in ſecret by himſelfe, to vſe theſe extraordinary exerciſes as he ſeeth iuſt cauſe; if at leaſt he be not vnderunder the power & cōmand of another, to whom his time and ſeruice is due. When Magiſtrates are negligent in appointing thoſe publike exerciſes in their ſeaſons, priuate Chriſtians may for their parts make ſome ſupply thereof in their families, or at leaſt in ſecret by themſelues.
§. 115. Of Motiues to extraordinary Prayer.
VVEighty motiues there be to ſtirre vsus vp to extraordinary Prayer.
1 It ſheweth that we goe along with Gods good guiding prouidence: that we obſerue Gods iudgements, and are moued with them, and take notice of his bleſſings, and are accordingly affected: that as the iudgements of God are greater, ſo our ſupplication and humiliation more extraordinary: as his bleſſings more needefull and ſcanty, ſo our petitions more earneſt and feruent: and as they are more excellent and plentifull, ſo our thankeſgiuing more ſolemne. They who content themſelues with their ordinary manner of praying, (like mil-horſes going round in their vſuall tracke) and neuer take any occaſion of extraordinary prayer, but thinke all is well, becauſe they are not Atheiſts, which neuer call vponupon God, plainely diſcouer how little they regard Gods dealing with them. If they did, as God dealt extraordinarily with them, ſo would they extraordinarily carry themſelues towards God.
2 Extraordinary prayer is extraordinarily powerfull and effectuall, either for preuenting and remouing great iudgements, or for obtaining and recouering ſingular bleſſings, as we hauehave*§. 99. before ſhewed.
3 It is an extraordinary honour done vntounto God: the more we ſtoop vnderunder his iudgements, and the more highly we account his bleſſings and fauours, the more we glorifie God.
§. 116. Of the neglect of extraordinary Prayer.
Vſe IF we well obſerue Gods dealing with vsus, and the ſeuerall occaſions of extraordinary prayer from time to time affoorded vntounto vsus, wee cannot but condemne our ſelues for neglect of this duty, and extraordinarily humble our ſelues, euen becauſe wee hauehave not extraordinarily prayed, as iuſt occaſion hath oftentimes beene giuen vntounto vsus. How many iudgements hath God laid vponupon vsus yeere after yeere? ſtrange ſickneſſes, extraordinary fiers, froſts, inundations of waters, droughts when raine was needefull, tempeſtuous and rainy weather, when calme and faire weather would hauehave beene very acceptable, with the like. Among other publike iudgements, I cannot let paſſe that ſore, heauy, grieuous ſtroke, whereby the life of that worthy admirable Prince was taken away, vponupon the ſixt of Nouember 1612. Had extraordinary prayer in time been vſed, no doubt but many of theſe iudgements might hauehave beene preuented. Would there be ſo many inſufficient, idle, careleſſe, corrupt Miniſters, as are in many places? or would the diligence and paines of many learned and faithfull Miniſters be ſo fruitleſſe as they are, if extraordinary prayer were more vſed? What may be the reaſon that many marriages, offices, callings, and the like matters of moment are ſo vnproſperous? that many Chriſtians long lie vnderunder ſore and grieuous temptations and croſſes, that other iudgements are inflicted vponupon their families, their children, yea, and their owne perſons, and many needfull bleſſings denied? Surely this duty is not vſed as it ought to be. Let it therefore more frequently and conſcionably be vſed.
Hitherto of the ſeuerall kinds of Prayer.