The Drunkards Character, Section 136 – Section 138
§ 136.
SEcondly, good men by their prayers keepe off judgements from them.… by their prayers. The Saints are like Sampsons haire, the strength of the Land, and the very pillars of a State, even such pillars, that ten of them would have supported Sodom from falling, and their prayers would have cried lowder in Gods eares for mercy, then the sinnes of those thousands did for vengeance: the prayer of a righteous man availeth much (saith St. Iames) if it be fervent, Chap. 5. 16.
I need not tell you what prayer hath done; as that it hath shut up the Heavens from rayning, and opened them againe, made the Sunne stand still in the firmament, one while, goe backe, another, devided the Sea, and made it stand as a wall, fetch fire and hailestones from Heaven, throwne downe the wales of Ierico, subdued Kingdomes, stopt the mouthes of Lyons, quenched the violence of fire, raised the dead, let out of prison, &c. onelyonly see what it hath done in this very case. Was not Abraham's prayer so powerfull, that God never left granting one request after another touching Sodome, untill he left asking? Gen. 18. 32. Was not Moses prayer for the people, when they had made the golden calfe, and imputed their deliverance to it, so powerfull, that God was faine to say unto him, Let me alone, Moses, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and consume them, and yet Moses would not let him alone, but pleads his promise, what the Aegyptians would say, &c. untill he had obtained their pardon, though God promised to make of him a mighty people? Exod. 32. 10. to 15. was not Lot's prayer touching Zoar so powerfull, that God saith unto him, I have received thy request concerning this thing, that I will not overthrow this City, for the which thou hast spoken, adding this moreover, that he could doe nothing to Sodome, untill he was entred into Zoar? Gen. 19. 20. 21. 22. Thus the prayer of Abraham removed that judgement from Abimelecke his wife, and women servants, when the Lord had shut every wombe, Gen. 20. 17. 18. Thus Moses prayer removed the leprosie from Mirriam, Num. 12. 13. 14. 15. and kept off sundry judgements from the Israelites, as when they murmured against him at the Red Sea, Exod. 14. 11. 15. Againe, at the waters of Marah, Chap. 15. 25. then at the Desart of Zim, Chap. 16. then at Repidim, Chap. 17. 4. then, when they fought with Amalecke, ver. 11. after, when the Lord would utterly have consumed them, Chapter, 32. 10. to 35. then he removed from them that judgement of fire, which burnt among them, Num. 11. 1. 2. againe, when they murmured for flesh, vers. 4. 10. 31. after that, he saved them from being consumed by the Pestilence, Num. 14. 12 to 21. then from another plague, Chap. 16. 45. to 49. and lastly, he tooke away the Serpents by his prayer, Num. 20. 6. 7. 8.
Againe, how many severall plagues did he remove from Pharaoh and all Aegypt, by his prayer? As first, the judgment of Frogs, Exod. 8. 8. then, the judgement of Flyes, ver. 30. 31. then, the Thunder, Hayle, and Fire, Chap. 9. 33. then, the Grashoppers, Chap. 10. 18. 19. &c. Thus by the prayer of Iehoahas, all Israel was delivered from the oppression of the King of Syria; 2 King. 13. 4. 5. And by Samuel's prayer, the Israelites were delivered out of the hand of the Philistines, 1 Sam. 7. 8. 9. And by the prayer of Esay. and Hezekiah, the Israelites were delivered from the great Host of Senacharib, under the conduct of Rabshekah, and that miraculously, for the Angell of the Lord, in one night, smote in the campe of the Assyrians, an hundred foure score and five thousand, 2 King. 19. 4. 20. Many the like examples I could give you.
§ 137.
ANd are not the like faithfull prayers of godly men amongst us,In their … they will sue to the godly, and desire them a lo…e to pray for them. alike prevalent with God, both for the averting and removing of judgements, which now have beene, and daily hang over our heads, through the many and grievous sinnes, which wicked men daily commit, and which cry in the eares of God for vengeance? yes, undoubtedly, for if there were not some Abrahams, and Lots, and Ezraes, and I…shuas, Isaiahs, Ioels, and Ieremiahs, amongst us, powring out there soules before God, in cryes and lamentations for our iniquities, what should become of us, Eze. 9. 4. 8. Nothing wil do it but prayer, and fasting, and repenting; and the fasting and prayers of faithlesse people, God regardeth not, Ier. 14, 12. yea, the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord, only the prayers of the righteous is acceptable unto him, Prov. 15. 8.
And this they will confesse in their affliction: wherefore when Godlesse persons are in any distresse, they ever praythe people of God to pray for them, and commonly those too, whom they have most hated and abused: for the oppressor is in no mans mercy, but his, whom he hath trampled upon: and injuries done us on earth, give us power in heaven.
Hereupon Ieroboam's hand being dryed up,Of which many examples. for stretching it out against the Prophet, he sueth to the man of God, saying, I beseech thee pray unto the Lord thy God, and make intercession for me, that my hand may be restored unto me; and the man of God besought the Lord, and the Kings hand was restored, 1 Kings 13. 4. 6. Thus the Israelites pray Samuel, to pray for them, 1 Sam. 12. 19. and againe cease not to cry to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hands of the Philistims, 1 Sam. 7. 8. and he did so, and the Lord heard him, delivered them, and slew their enemies, verse 9. 10. Thus Mirriam, though shee grudges at, and contests with Moses, was forcst to be beholding to Moses for his prayer, before shee could bee cured of her Leprosie, Numb. 12. 13. Thus when the Lord's wrath was kindled against Eliphaz, and his two friends, nothing would appease the same, but the prayer of Iob, whom they had so contemned, as the Lord himselfe witnesseth Iob 42. 7. 8 Thus Elimas the Sorcererprayes Peter to pray for him. Yea, of whom did Dives, being tormented in the flames of hell, expect and seeke for ease, but from Lazarus, whom lately before hee despised… Luk. 16. 24.
For though the wicked scorne and despise the godly,…ho count it a sin to cease praying for their greatest enemies. in their prosperity; yet in their distresse they only are set by, to pray unto God for them; who are more ready to solicit God for their mortallest enemies and persecutors, then they to desire it, be it at the time, when they wrong them most; witnesse Steeven, who when the Iewes were stoning him to death, kneeled down and cryed with a lowd voyce, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge, Acts 7. 60. And our Saviour Christ, who when hee was scoff'd at, scornd, scourged, beaten with Rodds, crowned with Thornes, pierced with Nailes, nailed to the Crosse, fild with reproaches, as unmindfull of all his owne griefes, prayeth for his persecutors, and that earnestly, Father forgive them: they cry out, crucifie him; he out cries, Father pardon them: yea, they account it a Sinne to cease praying for their worst enemies, 1 Sam. 12. 23.
§ 138.
NEither (in time of calamity) do they thinke it enough to bee freed themselves (as they are sure,Wicked mens thoughts touching the religious, not the same in distresse, as … prosperity. a judgement shall be no judgement unto them) as we see in Moses, who fared well himselfe, what ever the rest suffered: what needed he to have afficted himselfe with the affliction of others… himselfe was at ease and pleasure in the Court of Pharaoh; but a good heart can not abide to bee happy alone, and must needs, unbidden, share with others in their miseries; and at severall times after: for when God threatens to consume the Israelites, with the same breath, hee promiseth to make of Moses a greater Nation, and mightier then they, Exod. 32. 10. 11. and againe, Numbers 14. 12. 13. All which (when their enemies have the wit to discerne) forceth them to confesse their owne folly, wickednesse, unthankfulnesse; the godlies superlative goodnesse, &c. As once Laban to Iacob, Gen. 30. 27. and Pharaoh to Moses, Exodus 9. 27. 28. and againe Chapter 10. 16. 17. saying, I have sinned against the Lord, your God, and against you; forgive mee my sins, only this once, and pray unto the Lord your God that hee may take away from mee this death only. And Saul to David, saying, I have sinned, I have done foolishly, and have erred exceedingly, thou art more righteous then I, for thou hastrendered me good, and I have rendered thee …vill, &c. 1 Sam. 24. 18. and 26. 21.
Though afterward, when the rod is off their backes, they are apt to harden againe, and returne to their old byas, as did the same Pharaoh and Saul.
For no longer then they smart, no longer can they see; and unlesse affliction opens their eyes, there is no perswading them, but the righteous man is worse then his neighbour; yea, none so vile, no such enemies tothe State, as the religious. What though it were but Haman's pretence, yet it was Abab's very case, who peremptorily thought Eliah the cause of all his misery, when it was himselfe, his sinne brought the famine; Eliah's prayer, brought the raine; yet Ahab tells Eliah (and speakes as he thinkes) thoutroublest Israel. And nothing more usuall, then for wicked men, to hate, persecute, and complaine most of those, to whom they are most bound, and beholding. Saul received more benefit from David, then from any one man in his Kingdome besides, both in frighting away the evill spirit from him, killing Goliah, and many the like; yet none was so hated, persecuted, and evill spoken of by him, as hee was. Thus Laban and Potiphar were most angry with Iacob and Ioseph, for whose sakes only they prospered.