Medicines for the Plague, Collection of sermons · Sermon 3
THE THIRD SERMON vponupon the firſt verſe.
The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble, the name of the God of Iacob defend thee.
The people pray for the King, as they were deſired.THeſe are the words of the people, which they ſpake vntounto God in the behalfe of their King, and ſo they did as Dauid deſired them, namely pray for him. If they did thus pray for him being deſired thereunto, and it was their bound dutie ſo to doe, and they knew it to be ſo, and therefore did make conſcience of it, and it had bin a very great fault for them to hauehave failed in it; then by conſequence it followeth of neceſſitie, that whenſoeuer any of our brethren or ſiſters in Chriſt ſhall deſire this dutie at our hands,So muſt we do for all thoſe that deſire our prayers. wee muſt bee carefull to performe it, and it were a fault not to be excuſed in vsus, both againſt God and them, to faile in it. Therefore wee muſt not thinke, that when godly men and women at their parting, or otherwiſe deſire our prayers, and ſay, I pray you pray for me, or remember me in your prayers, that theſe are words of courſe (though I doe not denie, but that many doe ſo vſe them; and ſo doing they take the name of God in vaine) but wee ſhould be perſwaded, that out of the abundance of their feeling of their owne wants they ſpeake vntounto vsus, and ſo be willing by our prayers to helpe to ſupplie them.Eſpecially when they ſhall make their eſtate known vntounto vsus And eſpecially wee ſhould doe it, when they ſhall make knowne their eſtate vntounto vsus, as here Dauid did to the people, giuing them to vnderſtand, that he ſhould or might be in great daunger of his enemies, and ſo it was a time of trouble vntounto him, as he called it: and as the Apoſtle S. Iames ſpeaketh, Acknowledge your faults one to another, and pray one for another, Jam. 5.16.that ye may be healed: that when the ſicke ſhould ſend for godly and graue men, and ſo they ſhould not onelyonly ſee their eſtate for bodily health, but they ſhould alſo for their owne further comfort confeſſe vntounto them their ſpeciall ſinnes, which they finde to hauehave been the cauſe of them, that then they would bee moſt willing to pray for them, being ſent for to that end eſpecially. So then if we ſee plainly that they hauehave cauſe to deſire our prayers, and that they doe it with earneſtnes, then moſt of all ſhould we thinke vponupon them, and vponupon their eſtate, to pray for them, and it muſt needes bee a great fault to forget them. For, as if any ſhould bee in diſtreſſe or want, and ſhould ſtand in neede of our helpe for meate, and drinke, and cloathing, or other things, and ſhould come and make their moane vntounto vsus, and deſire reliefe from vsus: if we, ſeeing their eſtate to be ſo pitifull, as indeede it is, ſhould not be mooued in compaſſion to helpe them, according to our abilitie, it were a token of great hardnes of heart in vsus: So much more when any ſhall make knowne their wants vntounto vsus to that end, that we might pray to God for them, if wee ſhould forget it, or neglect to doe it, it ſhould bewray too great want of fellow-feeling and brotherly compaſſion in vsus.
Moſt of all this dutie of prayer ought to bee carefullie performed,And moſt of al when thereupon we hauehave promiſed to pray for them. Pſal. 15.4. when wee hauehave promiſed it vntounto any vponupon ſuch notice of their eſtate: for as all promiſes made to our brethren ought to be kept, yea though it bee to our owne hindrance; ſo thoſe moſt of all that ſo neerely concerne them. And as if when any ſhould deſire vsus to ſpeak to ſome great man for them, and wee promiſe to doe it, and they truſt to it, hoping that we will be as good as our words; it were a great deceit in vsus to faile them, and ſo to fruſtrate their expectation:For all lawfull promiſes muſt be kept. So when any hauehave deſired vsus to ſpeake to God for them, and vponupon our promiſe they would comfort themſelues ouer it, if we ſhould by negligence deceiue them, it were a great fault in vsus, and that which the Lord would require at our hands, though they ſhould neuer know of it. Therefore as we ought d…y to pray one for another vnasked, as our Sauiour Chriſt hath taught vsus; O our Father which art in heauen, giuegive vsus this day: and forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes: and leade vsus not into temptation, &c: ſo more ſpecially and by name ſhould we do it for them, that hauehave deſired it of vsus. And ſo parents eſpecially ſhould not forget their children in their prayers, which daily aske their bleſſing, and hope to be bleſſed of God by their prayers.
Secondarily, if wee ſhould neglect to pray for them, that hauehave deſired it at our hands;Els they that we truſt vntounto ſhal neglect to pray for vsus. how could we hauehave any hope, that others whom we hauehave deſired to pray for vsus, ſhould performe that dutie vntounto vsus? Nay, might not wee iuſtly feare, that they would altogether neglect it, ſeeing we doe neglect them? and ſhould it not be iuſt with God ſo to puniſh vsus? according to the ſaying of our Sauiour Chriſt,Matth. 7.2. Looke with what meaſure you meat vntounto others, it ſhal be met vntounto you againe. And I remember that this was the ſaying of a reuerend father in the Church, who is now fallen aſleepe in the Lord, when any deſired him to pray for them (as many did, and more then any, that I hauehave knowne) he would ſay vntounto them; I pray you pray for me, and pray that I may remember you▪ and then I hope I ſhall not forget you. Therefore if we would hauehave others pray for vsus, let vsus pray for them, for wee can neuer hauehave greater aſſurance that they will doe it for vsus, than that we are carefull to doe it for them; and the more that we doe it for them, the more may we hope that they will do it for vsus. For the ſpirit of God that mooueth vsus pray, and knoweth much more that we doe ſo, it being the ſearcher and the mouer of the hearts ſhall alſo moue them to doe the like for vsus, that this promiſe … be verified vntounto vsus. Which if it be true very often of them that are not deſired at all, that by the ſecret operation of the ſpirit of God, which quickeneth the whole bodie of Chriſt and eueryevery part of it; then much more of them that are deſired, and know the eſtate one of another.
Therefore if the King would hauehave his ſubiects to pray for him, he muſt pray for them:Therfore if we would hauehave others pray vsus let vsus pray for them. if Noblemen would hauehave their Chaplens pray for them of conſcience, they muſt pray for them alſo: if the Biſhops would hauehave the Miniſters remember thē in their prayers, they muſt not forget them in theirs: and ſo theſe great perſonages muſt not thinke that all ſhould remember them, and yet forget all: and that it ſhould be a great fault in their inferiours if at any time they ſhould but once forget them in their publike prayers, and yet it ſhould bee no fault in themſelues though they doe continually forget them. So if the Miniſter would hauehave his people to pray for him (as the Apoſtle often willeth the Church of God to pray for him) then he muſt remember publikely and priuately to pray for them: ſo muſt children doe for their parents, if they would hauehave their bleſſing and the benefit of their prayers: ſo muſt the husband do for the wife, and one neighbour and friend for another. For the more wee pray for them, the more ſhall they pray for vsus, yea though they know not at all that we pray for them: and if they ſhould neglect it, yet no doubt ſome or other ſhall doe it: for this ſaying of him that is truth it ſelfe, muſt needs be true, Looke with what meaſure you mete vntounto others▪ Luk. 6.36.with the ſame it ſhall be mete vntounto you, euen heaped vp, preſſed downe, and running ouer into your boſome. Prou. 11.17.Therefore as he that is mercifull rewardeth his owne ſoule; ſo hee that performeth this worke of merciemercy to pray for others in their neede, rewardeth himſelfe, and ſhall hauehave others pray for him in his greateſt need. And as hee that ſoweth plentifully,2 Cor. 6.6. ſhall reape plentifully; ſo he that ſoweth this dutie of prayers plentifully for others, ſhall reape againe ſo many and more from others. The knowledge of this ſhould make vsus willing to pray for others, eſpecially being deſired thereunto: f… …ee ſhall loſe nothing thereby, but gaine greatly. Therefore, if not for the good of others, yet for our owne, let vsus be willing to pray for others: and herein let vsus fulfill the ſaying of Chriſt; Whatſoeuer you would hauehave men doe vntounto you, Matth. 7.12.euen ſo doe you vntounto them.
If we doe not pray for others, we ſhall the leſſe reioyce in all bleſsings of God vponupon them.Thirdly, ſeeing the end of our prayers for others is, that we might thereby obtaine ſuch things for them as they neede: when God ſhall lbeſſe them in ſoule and body and eueryevery way elſe according to their owne deſire, and in theſe things we ſhall hauehave prayed for them alſo; we ſhall hauehave ſo much the more cauſe to reioyce with them, and to be thankefull to God for them, when we not onelyonly ſee that God hath bleſſed them, but bleſſed them at our prayers, and ſo we hauehave our part in thoſe benefits. Whereas if we ſhould neglect it, God might heare them ſelues, or others for them, or both: but we ſhall hauehave little comfort in thoſe benefits, becauſe by neglecting to pray for them we hauehave had no hand in them. Nay, we ſhall be the more ſory that ſo great things are befallen them, and we hauehave not furthered them therein as we might, and as we were deſired.Rom. 12.15. For as if our friend hauehave a ſuite to ſome noble man, and we by ſome meanes hauehave furthered them therein, and they hauehave obtained it, as it were partly by our meanes; wee then ſpeake and thinke of it with the more ioy and comfort; but if they preuailed therein by themſelues, or by others without vsus, it will grieue vsus that we hauehave not yeelded them that helpe that we might: ſo is it in the ſuites that men make in their prayers vntounto the Lord. For if we ſhould, as the Apoſtle ſaith, be ſo affectioned one to another, that we ſhould reioyce with them that reioyce, and be heartily glad of any good that God beſtoweth vponupon others, and be thankefull to him for it, ſeeing we are brethren, nay members one of another; then moſt of all ſhould we doe it when ſuch benefits are beſtowed vponupon them partly by our meanes. Therefore that we might continually reioyce in all the good that God beſtoweth vponupon others, let vsus be willing and carefull to pray to him for a ſupplie of all ſuch wants as they ſhall make knowne vntounto vsus. In which reſpect eueryevery one ſhould be mindfull to pray for the Church of God in their time, eſpecially for that part of it wherein they liue, and for the common-wealth, and for our gouernours in both:Therefore we ſhould pray for the church and common-wealth in our time. that ſo wee might reioyce with others, and bee thankefull to God with them for all the common benefits of our time. As for example, if wee hauehave and doe pray for the life and honour of our moſt gracious King, how glad may we be to heare of his miraculous deliuerance from moſt notable treaſons, as they profeſſe verſe 5? And if we doe pray for the ſtaying of the Peſtilence eueryevery where, how may wee reioyce to heare, that the Lorde diminiſheth his heauy hand in any place? So if we pray for ſeaſonable weather with others, wee may hauehave the more comfort in it when the Lord ſhall ſend it. And to conclude, if we pray for the bleſſing of God vponupon the miniſterie of the word,2. Theſſal. 3.1. that it may hauehave free paſſage and bee glorified, as the Apoſtle willeth, and that the Lord would giuegive an increaſe to that that is planted and watered from time to time; then how may it reioyce our hearts to ſee ſinners conuerted vntounto the Lord, or any good to be done thereby? Otherwiſe, as Mordochey ſaid to Hester, If ſhe did not helpe,Hest. 4.14. God could ſend deliuerance to his Church from ſome other place: ſo if wee refuſe to pray for theſe things, God may ſend helpe by the prayers of others, but we ſhall hauehave ſo much the leſſe comfort in them.
Fourthly and laſt of all,We muſt beleeue that our prayers may doe much good to others. that wee might bee the more willing to pray for others, wee muſt bee perſwaded that God will heare vsus for them; and that this way we ſhall be beneficiall vntounto them: for the Lord will beſtowe ſuch and ſuch bleſſings vponupon them, and deliuer them from the miſeries that they bee in both of ſoule and body at our prayers; ſo farre forth as may make for his glory and their good. And ſo wee muſt not thinke, alas our poore prayers can doe them no good, as the diuell is ready to put this into our heads to diſcourage vsus from prayer: for the Lord who hath commaunded vsus to aske one for another, hath alſo promiſed to giuegive. Therefore, if we cannot otherwiſe profit our friends, and thoſe whom we wiſh well vntounto, yet this way by our prayers we may be beneficiall vntounto them: and this way alwaies, euen the meaneſt of vsus, when we want opportunitie or abilitie to doe it otherwiſe. And thus Dauid in this Pſalme teacheth them to pray for him, beleeuing that God would heare them for him,Verſ. 6. when they ſay, Now know I that the Lord will helpe his annoynted, and wil heare him from his Sanctuarie, by the mighty helpe of his right hand: where he ſets downe this part of the prayer in the ſingular number, though many did vſe it together, to ſhew them that eueryevery one particularly ſhould beleeue that God would heare them for their King, and would at their prayers defend him againſt his enemies, and ſo they ſhould not pray for him in vaine. And the Apoſtle exhorteth men in their ſickneſſe to ſend for the Elders of the Church to pray for them; and that both the one and the other might doe it in faith (the one ſend for them, and the other be willing to come) he maketh a gracious promiſe in the name of the Lord vntounto their prayers, and ſaith that they ſhall thus obtaine for the ſicke both health of body, and forgiueneſſe of ſinne. Is any ſicke among you? Jam. 5.15.Let him ſend for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray for him, and annoynt him with oyle in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith ſhall ſaue the ſicke, and the Lorde ſhall raiſe him vp: and if hee hath committed ſinnes, they ſhall be forgiuen him. And in the next words he willeth vsus all to confeſſe our ſinnes one to another, and pray one for another, that ſo wee might receiue health; for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much eueryevery way when it is feruent; And for whom? Not only for himſelfe, but for another; as he proueth by the example of Helias; in whoſe dayes though that godly man Obadiah, and the hundreth Prophets, whom hee hid in caues from the perſecution of Iezabel, did pray for raine in that great drought, as we muſt needs preſume of them: yet he only by his prayers obtained that benefit for himſelfe, and for them, and for all the reſt of the people of that time. Helias (ſaith he) was a man ſubiect to like paſſions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not raine, Verſ. 17.and it rained not on the earth for three yeeres and ſixe moneths: And he prayed againe, and the heauen gaue raine, and the earth brought forth her fruite.
And here if vponupon this occaſion I ſhould enter in this treatiſe,What great benefits men hauehave gotten by the prayer of others. to ſhew what great benefits men hauehave obtained by their prayers, not for themſelues, but for others, the time would not be ſufficient, the examples both in the old and new Teſtament are ſo many to declare it. As how the Lord heard Abraham for his ſonne Iſhmael, when he ſaid; Oh that Iſhmael might liue in thy ſight: Gen. 7.18.ſo that he became a great man in the world, and was multiplied exceedingly, ſo that not onelyonly twelue Princes came of him, but a great nation. And how Izhak prayed for his wife becauſe ſhee was barren,Chapt. 25.21. and the Lord was intreated of him, and ſhe conceiued, and brought forth twinnes twentie yeeres after they had liued together in marriage before. And what Moſes obtained for the Iſraelites by his prayer, at the red ſea, and oftentimes in the wildernes.Exod. 14.15. And how Elias raiſed vp from dead by his prayers the ſonne of the widow of Sarepta, with whom he ſoiorned.1. King. 17.28. And Eliſha did the like for the good woman of Shunam, who gaue intertainement vntounto him as he paſſed that way:2. King. 4.33. and many ſuch things elſe might be ſhewed to hauehave been obtained by prayer. All which are written for our inſtruction, to teach vsus that we ſhould be willing to pray for others, not doubting but that God will heare vsus for them: and this way we may doe them good, if we can doe it no other waies. As for example, if in the louelove and loyalty we owe to our ſoueraigne King, hearing of the treaſonable practiſes malitiouſly intended againſt his royall perſon, and noble progeny, we would be willing to doe him the beſt ſeruice for his defence that we could, what ſhall we doe? Counſell can we giuegive none, neither are we in place to doe it: we hauehave no ſtrength to reſiſt his enemies of our owne ſelues: yet we may pray for him, that Chriſt Ieſus who ruleth in the middeſt of his enemies would bring things to light, and confound them in their diueliſh deuices, and not doubt but that God will heare vsus: as they ſay confidently here,Verſ. 6. I know that the Lord will helpe his annointed, and will heare him from his Sanctuarie. This ſhould moue vsus to pray for the Church of God vniuerſally diſperſed ouer the face of the whole earth,This way eueryevery one may be beneficiall to the Church of God. and more particularly for that part of it wherein we liue, and for all our gouernours in the ſame, high and lowe, and for others alſo, not doubting but that the Lord will heare vsus in all things for them agreeable vntounto his holy will, and ſo this way wee may in all callings bee profitable vntounto them in our time. So that no man can iuſtly complaine, that God hath ſo diſabled him that he can do no good vntounto others: for if we were as poore as Iob, if as full of ſores as Lazarus, if we lay ſicke in our beds, and in great weakenes of body, yet by our feruent and godly prayers we might doe much good vntounto many. And thus I remember a godly wiſe Father did comfort his weake brother, who continuing a great while in a lingering ſickneſſe and weakeneſſe of body complained vntounto him, that there he ſpent away his time vnprofitably, and was able to doe no good: yes, ſaith he, very much, for you may pray for the Church of God: and that was true, though he did not then ſee it. For whatſoeuer wee aske in the name of Chriſt according to the will of God, ſhall be graunted vntounto vsus; which is true, whether we aske for our ſelues or for others.
We may bee perſwaded that God will heare vsus for others by the largenes of his promiſes.And the rather that wee might bee confirmed in this faith, namely, that the Lord of his bountifull goodnes will heare vsus when we pray for others; let vsus firſt of all conſider the promiſes that God hath made vntounto prayer, which are infinit in number, and vnmeaſurable in greatneſſe, but take one for an example. Chriſt ſaith in the Goſpell, Aske and it ſhall be giuen you, ſeeke and yee ſhall finde, knocke and it ſhall be opened vntounto you; Matth. 7.7.which hee deliuereth without limitation, that we might know that it is not to be reſtrained to our ſelues, but if wee aske for others, wee ſhall receiue for them. Then let vsus ſet before our eyes the manifold and happie experience of the truth of theſe promiſes in all the ſeruants of God;And by the experience of them in others who by their prayers hauehave obtained great things for others, as we hauehave heard alreadie: that when wee ſhall finde this way, Gods word and all his promiſes pure and moſt certainly to be truſted vntounto, as ſiluer that is tried in a fornace of earth,Pſal. 12.6. and fined ſeuen fold, we might relie vponupon them, and ſo be willing to pray for others, knowing that we ſhall not loſe our labor.
Thirdly, to theſe wee muſt adde the conſideration of our owne experience,But moſt of in our ſelues. and remember for whom wee hauehave prayed, and how often, and what hath been the ſucceſſe of our prayers. As how wee hauehave prayed heretofore for the life and preſeruation of our gouernours, and namely of our late Soueraigne Ladie of famous memorie Queen Elizabeth: and how God hath often deliuered her from many great treaſons intended againſt her by the Ieſuites and other Papiſts: how we hauehave prayed for others, as for the life, health, and proſperitie of our parents, husbands, wiues, children, neighbours, and friends, in their ſeuerall griefes of minde and infirmities of bodie, and other diſtreſſes, and what hath followed thereupon, as how they hauehave been recouered, and comforted, and otherwiſe holpen and relieued: how here in the Church we hauehave ſometimes prayed for thoſe that hauehave been very ſicke euen at deaths doore, who hauehave receiued the ſentence of death in themſelues, and yet they hauehave recouered, and ſome of them are aliue ſtill; that ſo as Dauid ſaid vponupon his former triall, The Lord that deliuered me out of the paw of the lion, 1. Sam. 17.37.and out of the paw of the beare, hee will deliuer me out of the hand of this Philiſtim: ſo wee might vponupon our former experience boldly ſay, God that of his merciemercy and goodnes hath vouchſafed to heare me for ſuch and ſuch, wil heare me alſo at this time for theſe. To this end alſo wee muſt wiſely obſerue and diligently marke for our owne comfort, and the good of others, what hath followed vponupon our prayers, and what God hath wrought or done for them. Yea all they that deſire the prayers of others for any ſpeciall cauſe, whether of the Church generally, or of priuate men particularly, ſhould ſignifie vntounto them afterwards (which few or none doe, and it is a great vnthankfulnes in them vntounto God and man not to doe it) what bleſsings they hauehave found vpō themſelues by ſuch prayers; not onelyonly that they might bee thankfull to God for them, as they prayed for them before; but that being confirmed by ſuch experience, they might the more willingly and boldly pray for them, and for others at ſome other time, as there ſhall be neede: and for want of this they cannot doe it ſo cheerefully and ſo confidently as otherwiſe they might doe.
To conclude the ſumme of all that hath been ſaid in one word:How greatly men faile in neglecting to pray for others. we ſee what is here required of vsus, euen that we bee mindfull to pray for others, and what good reaſon there is for it, both in reſpect of our owne comfort, and of their good; let vsus examine our ſelues, to ſee whether wee hauehave been ſo carefull to performe this dutie vntounto them, as we ſhould. How often hauehave wee, and doe we pray for the good eſtate of the Church of God in other countries, as in France, the Netherlands, Geneua, and ſuch like, that God would defend them from their enemies, and inlarge the kingdome of Chriſt among them? Nay, how often doe wee pray for the Church of God in this land, and in the kingdomes vnited? How often for the Kings Maieſtie, the right honourable Councellors, Iudges, and Magiſtrates, not onelyonly of this land, but more ſpecially of our owne countrey? How often for our neighbours, yea particularly and by name for them of our owne family, as for al our children and ſeruants? Yea let vsus call into our minds how often wee hauehave prayed ſeriouſly and in good earneſt for thoſe that hauehave deſired our prayers, and hauehave as it were made a couenant of prayer with vsus, by promiſing that they would pray for vsus, if we would remember thē: whether we hauehave carefully kept this promiſe and couenant or no: and when we ſhall finde that wee hauehave greatly failed this way; let vsus be ſorie that wee hauehave not done that good this way that we might, and that hath been looked for at our hands: and therefore that wee cannot hauehave that comfort in the common bleſſings of God in church and common wealth, and vponupon priuate men, that others hauehave. And let vsus determine for the time to come to be more mindful of others in our prayers, and let vsus be ſo indeede; eſpecially of all the Church of God, and of all thoſe that we hauehave made this promiſe vntounto, and ſo hauehave bound our ſelues to it by a couenant in the Lord: that ſo the Lord may alſo reward vsus with the prayers of others, and with the fruit of the ſame in our greateſt neede; when wee ſhall hauehave carefully performed this dutie vntounto them before. Eſpecially let vsus remember to pray for the King, and for all our gouernours, as wee are bound thereunto both by the word of God, and the lawes of the realme; as if wee had made a certaine promiſe to them for it.