Medicines for the Plague, Collection of sermons · Sermon 5
THE FIFTH SERMON vponupon the firſt verſe.
The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble, the name of the God of Iacob defend thee.
The meaning of the words.THe thing that he wils them to pray for in his behalfe, is, that God would heare his prayers that he ſhould make in the time of his trouble, and accordingly defend him, by ſending helpe to him from heauen, and giuing him ſtrength and courage againſt his enemies, from the place and meanes of his worſhip and ſeruice, as it is in the ſecond verſe. The Lord heare thee, &c. Theſe words import thus much, that Dauid was already in, or likely to fal into ſome great trouble, that he did pray beforehand, or would pray in the time of his trouble, and that he deſired the people of God to pray to God for him, that he would heare thoſe prayers that he ſhould make in the time of his trouble. Firſt then though he was a good King,Dauid in his lawfull calling was not free from trouble. and had a good cauſe in hand, yet he did not promiſe to himſelfe to bee altogether free from trouble; he was to goe to warre againſt the Ammonites in the defence of his people and kingdome; hee was not ignorant of the manifold dangers and troubles of warre (for he had been a long experienced Souldier and Captaine) and ſo thought that ſome of them might befall him, and that he might be driuen to ſome great ſtraites: Therefore as he was determined to pray to God for ſuccour in ſuch caſes, ſo he deſired them to further his praiers that God might defend him in his troubles, and deliuer him out of them.By outward things wee muſt not iudge of the lawfulnes of Kings titles. We are not then raſhly to iudge of the lawfulneſſe of Princes titles, and of the goodnes of their gouernment, and of any thing that they attempt by the outward peace and quietneſſe that they hauehave at home and abroad: or on the cōtrary by the troubles & dangers that they fall into, of the vnlawfulneſſe of the ſame; to ſay this is a good King in deede, and taketh none but good cauſes in hand, for hee hath no troubles at all: or otherwiſe to ſay, this is a cruell Tyrant in deede, and taketh ill matters in hand, for ſee how many enemies doe riſe vp againſt him, and ſeeke his life: for we ſee it otherwiſe here in the firſt words of the Pſalme. And beſides, Dauid after that he was annoynted to be King by Samuel the Prophet, at the expreſſe commandement of God; how many troubles did he fall into, both before he came to the kingdome, by Saul? and after he came to it, by Adonijah, Abſolom, & the reſt? Neither muſt good and godly Kings in their lawfull proceedings againſt malefactors, or otherwiſe, preiudice themſelues and their owne cauſes through ſome weakenes, by occaſion of any trouble that ſhall befall them: to thinke thus with themſelues, ſurely I hauehave not taken a good courſe, becauſe ſuch euill hath befallen me.
This is true indeed,We ought as any croſſes do befall vsus, to examine our waies. that vponupon ſuch accidents of trouble eueryevery man ſhould examine his owne heart, and his waies, whether hee bee in the waies of God, or no: and this is a great fault in many that they doe not: as in Balaam the ſorcerer, who when he was ſent for by Balak the King of Moab, to curſe the people of Iſrael out of his land, and in hope of great reward went: though in that vnhappy voyage of his, vndertaken with an ill mind, he was often croſſed by the Angell of God with a drawne ſworde,Numb. 22.23. ſo that his Aſſe that he rode on turned out of the way, and afterwards in a ſtraite ſhee thruſt her ſelfe ſo neere the wall, that ſhe daſht his foote againſt it, and at the laſt the Aſſe fell down vnderunder him: yet he did not by all theſe troubles that befell him in the way, examine himſelfe, and ſay, Good Lord what doe I heere? Whether am I going? and where about? But when men hauehave good ground and warrant for their doings, then they are confidently to goe on, whatſoeuer may betide them, with prayer vntounto God, commending themſelues and all their waies vntounto him. The bleſſed Lady Queene Elizabeth, how iuſt was her title? and how godly and lawfull were all her proceedings? Not only with her owne ſubiects at home, but with her forraine enemies abroad? yet ſhe fell into many troubles both of profeſſed enemies and ſecret traytors. So this our Lord and King, Iames, who is in a right line deſcended from her progenitors as heyre apparant to the crowne; and ſince his firſt entring into this land hath ſought to reforme many abuſes, and to doe much good, euen to continue the Goſpell, and to keepe out Popery; ſee how many troubles in this ſhort time he is fallen into: beſides all thoſe which in his former kingdome of Scotland hee ſuffered.
All good men muſt looke for trouble in the beſt actions.And this is not onelyonly the portion of good Princes, Kings and Queenes, but of all good men in their beſt actions, they muſt looke to finde many dayes of trouble in them. For as the Kingdome of Chriſt was moſt ſubiect to all kinde of wrongs in the head (as Dauid prophetically complaineth;Pſalm. 2.1, 2. Why doe the heathen rage, and the people murmur in vaine? the kings of the earth band themſelues, and the Princes are aſſembled together against the Lord, and against his Christ:) ſo eueryevery member of the ſame, as hee moſt ſeeketh to aduance his kingdome, by doing good, and oppoſing himſelfe to euill, ſo many more troubles ſhall he ſuſtaine of the enemies of the ſame, then others. For beſides that the men of this world are againſt good men and their godly actions, and therefore this way the more that they ſhew thēſelues forward, the more trouble ſhall they hauehave; the Lord alſo by ſparing them ſomtimes in the deſerued puniſhment of their ſinnes, and cauſing them to finde troubles, and to ſuffer for righteouſneſſe ſake, and for well doing,Therefore we muſt not iudg of things by the euent. doth this way like a mercifull father trie their faith, and their obedience. Therefore let no man be diſcouraged in any good action for any trouble, that ſhall befall him in it: neither let vsus iudge of things by the euent: but be ſure that our cauſe bee good, and agreeable vntounto Gods word: and then if trouble come, let vsus beare it patiently: nay, let vsus looke for it, that wee may beare it: and for want of this meditation many break off, and giuegive ouer in their beſt actions. And this is that that wee hauehave to obſerue from hence, that ſpeaking of the things that belonged to his calling, he maketh mention of the troubles that were like to befall him.
The ſecond thing ariſeth from theſe words, The Lord heare thee: In which, as hee confeſſed before,Dauid prayed to God in his trouble. that he looked for troubles: ſo in theſe he ſheweth what hee would then doe, namely, flee to God for ſuccour, pray to him, and call vponupon his name, that he might heare him, and defend him. He would vſe all good meanes fit for that purpoſe, but he would not neglect this, knowing that all they were nothing without this; for they muſt hauehave their ſucceſſe and bleſſing from God by prayer. For he knew that though he had men, and horſes, and munition fit for war; yet as he ſaith in another Pſalme, I truſt not in my bow, Pſal. 44.6. & 33 16.neither can my ſword ſaue me: and againe, The King is not ſaued by the multitude of an hoſte, neither is the mightie man deliuered by much ſtrength. An horſe is a vaine helpe, and ſhall not deliuer any by his great ſtrength: for (as Salomon ſaith) when the horſe is prepared againſt the battell, Prou.21.31. yet then ſaluation is of the Lord: who is truly and properly called the Lord of hostes, becauſe hee is aboue all, and commandeth al: and therefore as King Aſa confeſſeth in his prayer, it is nothing with him to helpe with many, or with no power. 2. Chron. 14.11Therefore he was determined eſpecially to pray to God in all his troubles, that he might ſaue him, and ſo he did as appeareth by Pſalm. 21. So did King Hezekiah when the hoſte of the King of Aſhur came vp to Ieruſalem againſt him,Jſai. 37.16. So hauehave other good Kings done. ſaying, O Lord of hoſts, God of Iſrael, which dwelleſt betweene the Cherubims, thou art very God alone ouer all the kingdoms of the earth, thou haſt made the heauē & the earth: incline thine eare O Lord, and heare: open thine eyes O Lord and ſee, &c. Saue thou vsus out of the hands of Sanecherib, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou only art the Lord. Thus alſo did good King Iehoſaphat one of his predeceſſors, when the Ammonites came to battell againſt him, and did not onelyonly ſeeke to the Lord by prayer, but proclaimed a faſt,2. Chron. 20.3. that he might pray the more feruently: and the forme of his prayer is ſet downe there. And in thus doing hee followeth the example of his good father King Aſa; Chap. 14.9.who when Zerah of Aethopia came out againſt him, with an hoſte of ten hundreth thouſand chariots: hee went out alſo before him, and ſet the battell in aray; but then hee cried vntounto the Lord his God, ſaying, Helpe vsus, O Lord our God, for wee reſt on thee, and in thy name are wee come foorth againſt this multitude: O Lord thou art our God, let not man preuaile againſt thee. So that it appeareth, that this which Dauid did now, hath been the common practiſe of all the godly Kings, when they hauehave been in feare of their enemies, and ſo it hath been a day of trouble with them, as it was now with him.
So muſt all men ſeeke to God in all kinde of troubles.Now that that is ſaid of this kinde of trouble, and of theſe kind of men, is true of al other both ſorts of trouble, and degrees of men: that whatſoeuer troubles or daungers, not onelyonly Kings, but al others ſhall fall into at any time, great or ſmall, if they will hauehave comfort in them, or looke for any deliuerance out of them, they muſt ſeeke for it at the hand of God by ſupplication and prayer, who onelyonly can giuegive it: of whom alone commeth al the means of our deliuerance, and the whole diſpoſition and wiſe vſing of them, and the whole ſucceſſe and bleſſing vponupon them: from whom alſo may come that that we ſeeke for without all meanes, and without whoſe aide all things will doe vsus no good. For (as it is ſaid) man liueth not by bread onelyonly, Deut. 8.3.but by eueryevery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God: and (as Chriſt ſaith in the Goſpel) no mans life conſiſteth in the abundance of that that he poſſeſſeth:Luk. 12.15. that is, in all things it is not the meanes, but the bleſſing of God vponupon them, that muſt doe vsus good: So that in all troubles wee muſt put that in practiſe, which the Lord ſpeaketh of, Call vponupon me in the day of trouble; Pſal. 50.15.ſo will I deliuer thee; and thou ſhalt glorifie me. We are readie to ſeeke to this bodie and to that, and to call vponupon them for help: but God ſaith, Call vponupon me; and that we might doe it, he hath bound himſelfe with a promiſe, that he will heare vsus, and deliuer vsus. And this Dauid beleeued, when he ſaith in the words following;Verſ. 6. Now know I that the Lord will heare &c. And vntounto this agreeth that which the Apoſtle Saint Iames ſetteth downe: Is any among you afflicted? Jam. 5.13.let him pray: where he ſpeaketh vntounto all: and in what kind of affliction ſoeuer they be.
Therefore as prayer is alwaies requiſite and neceſſary, according to the doctrine of the Apoſtle, who ſaith,1. Theſſal. 5.17. Pray continually: and in another place, Pray alwaies with all manner prayer and ſupplication in the ſpirit, Epheſ. 6.18.and watch thereunto with all perſeuerance: ſo moſt of all in the time of trouble. For as Peter when he walked on the water, to go to Ieſus, and ſaw a mightie winde, ſo that hee was afraide, and began to ſinke, cried, ſaying, Master ſaue me: Matth. 14.29. The time of trouble is the ſpeciall time of prayer.ſo all men, the more euident and dangerous their trouble is, the more earneſtly ſhould they pray vntounto God for helpe. For the leſſe able that they are to helpe themſelues, or others to doe any thing for them, the more ſhould they ſeeke for help from God, who is able ſufficiently to affoord it. And truly many times God doth of purpoſe bring vsus into trouble, that wee might call vponupon him, and ſo hee might heare vsus in the day of our trouble. So that no trouble ſhould ſo diſmay vsus, that it ſhould hinder vsus from prayer, but rather quicken vsus vp vntounto it, and to a greater feruency in it.Pſal. 10.1. For when the Church ſaith, Why hideſt thou thy ſelfe, O Lord, in due time, euen in affliction? it ſheweth, that as that is the fitteſt time for the Lord to heare and helpe vsus, ſo for vsus to pray vntounto him, and to ſeeke for helpe at his hands. Therefore let vsus not onelyonly not thinke, that trouble doth exempt vsus from prayer, or that it is ſo great that we cannot pray, and if wee were out of it, and ſo might hauehave our mindes quiet, we would pray: as that we beleeue rather, that God at no time looketh for ſo much prayer at our hands, as when hee laieth affliction and trouble vponupon vsus.Both publike and priuate. So that if our troubles bee priuate, wee muſt often and earneſtly pray priuately: and if they be publike, wee muſt hauehave publike prayer thereafter: that ſo God may heare vsus eueryevery way in the day of our troubles; which he cannot doe, vnleſſe we then call vponupon him. Now at this day there are many troubles in our land: as not onelyonly ſecret practiſes of traytors againſt the Kings excellent Maieſtie, but alſo great ſickneſſe and mortalitie in many chiefe places, and the ſame dialy ſpreading it ſelfe further and further by reaſon of the great and dangerous contagion of the peſtilence:As at this time eſpecially. therefore it is high time for eueryevery one of vsus in all places to pray earneſtly vntounto God; and as eueryevery day bringeth vntounto our eares the reports of new troubles, ſo muſt we continue in our prayers: that God may heare vsus at the laſt, as he hath alſo promiſed that he will.
The third thing to bee obſerued out of theſe words, is the forme and tenour of their prayer, which is this, that they pray to God, that he would heare ye prayers of Dauid, which hee ſhould make in the time of his troubles. Therfore as it is our duty to ſeek to others in our troubles for their prayers, and the greater that they be, to ſeek vntounto them for it the more, that they ſtriuing with vsus in prayer, wee might obtaine: So when any ſhall thus deſire vsus to pray for them, it is our dutie to doe it: and ſo alſo to deſire the prayers of others, that in no caſe we neglect them our ſelues. (of which points ſeuerally wee hauehave intreated at large before) So more particularly wee ſee from hence, how wee may pray for any,We may alwaies thus pray for men that God would heare their prayers. whether wee are deſired, or not deſired thereunto; whether we know their eſtate perfectly, or we be altogether ignorant of it; euen that God would heare them, and giuegive them according to their owne prayers. For as if one man ſhould hauehave a ſuite to another, and ſhould deſire vsus to ſpeake for them, or wee know of it otherwiſe, though not in particular, what the ſpeciall thing is that hee deſireth; wee might ſay, I pray you bee good to ſuch a man, graunt him his requeſt; wee might that wayes doe him ſome good: So this way wee may benefit men alo,Though we know not their eſtate. when wee pray to God to giuegive them their requeſts, though wee know not eueryevery thing that they deſire. And thus did Hely the Prieſt pray for Hannah the wife of Elkanah, 1. Sam. 1.13.that God would heare her prayer that ſhe made, though hee knew them not; for ſhe ſpake in her heart onelyonly, her lips did mooue onelyonly, but her voyce was not heard: and when hee did miſtake her as though ſhee had been drunken,As Hely did for Hannah. ſhee ſaid nay, but ſhee was troubled in ſpirit, and did powre out her ſoule before the Lord; but did not tell him for what: Then he ſaid, Goe in peace, and the God of Iſrael grant thy petition, that thou haſt asked of him. And ſhe deſireth him ſtill that hee would pray for her. And at the laſt, when ſhe had obtained her requeſt, ſhe returned to giuegive thanks, and told him the whole matter, and ſaid, Oh my Lord, Verſ. 26.as thy ſoule liueth my Lord, I am the woman that ſtood with thee here praying vntounto the Lord: I prayed for this child (which ſhe had brought with her) and the Lord hath giuen me my deſire, which I asked of him: therefore alſo I hauehave giuen him vntounto the Lord: as long as he liueth he ſhall be giuen vntounto the Lord: and he worſhipped the Lord there. Where we ſee how he praied to God for her, that he would heare her praiers, and graunt her the petition that ſhe had asked of him, though he knew not what it was: and ſo requeſted him to continue his prayer ſtill for her, though ſhe doth not tell him the ſpeciall thing that ſhe prayed for.
Indeede if wee knew the particular eſtate of men, wee might pray for them more directly and more effectually:But if wee know it we may pray for them more particularly. Jam. 5.16. according to that counſell which S. Iames giueth vntounto all; Acknowledge your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed: for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much, if it be feruent. Where he willeth vsus not only to make knowne the diſeaſes of our bodies to others, by ſending for them in the time of our ſicknes, but euen our ſpeciall ſinnes, that hauehave been the cauſe of them, that ſo in great compaſſion towards vsus both of ſoule and bodie, they might pray feruently for vsus, when they ſhall ſee what great neede eueryevery way we hauehave of their prayers. But if we doe not thus confeſſe vntounto them, or cannot, yet generally and effectually alſo wee may pray God to heare their owne prayers, which they do and ſhould make principally themſelues, according to the commandement of the ſame Apoſtle:Verſ. 13. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray: that God, I ſay, would heare them in that trouble, that they bee in, what and whenſoeuer. Therefore no man in neglecting of this dutie of prayer for others, is to ſay, I would gladly pray for ſuch an one, if I knew his eſtate, and what to pray for: for it is ſufficient that the Lord knoweth it,Ye are we not to neglect this dutie of praier for any, though wee know not their eſtate. & that he knoweth it himſelfe, and doth pray for himſelfe accordingly, then may wee ſafely pray, that God would heare thoſe prayers of his. And thus did Salomon in the dedication of the Temple, which hee built to be an houſe of prayer for all nations; and doth himſelf pray vntounto God for all thoſe that ſhould hereafter come vntounto that place there to pray, whoſe prayers therefore in particular what they ſhould be, he could not poſſibly tell: and doth not onelyonly deſire the Lord to heare them in ſuch and ſuch particular things, as hee there nameth, as when they ſhould bee ouerthrowne before their enemies, and when there ſhould no raine, and when there ſhould be famine,1. King. 8.33. and ſuch like, ſaying, If they then come, and confeſſe thy name, and pray and make ſupplication vntounto thee in this houſe, then heare thou in heauen, and be mercifull vntounto the ſinne of thy people Iſrael: but more generally ſaith, That what prayer and ſupplication ſo euer ſhall be made of any man, Verſ. 38. Salomon prayed God to heare them, whoſe prayers he could not know.or of all thy people Iſrael, when eueryevery one ſhall know the plague in his owne heart, and ſtretch foorth his hands in this houſe; heare thou then in heauen, thy dwelling place, and be mercifull, and doe, and giuegive eueryevery man according to all his waies, as thou knoweſt his heart, (for thou only knoweſt the hearts of all the children of men). And in the end hee concludeth thus; Theſe my words, which I hauehave prayed before the Lord, Verſ. 59.let them be neere vntounto the Lord our God, day and night, that hee defend the cauſe of his ſeruant, and the cauſe of his people Iſrael, alway as the matter requireth: or (as the words are) the things of a day, in the day: meaning that as eueryevery mans neede was at all times, and God knew it to bee ſo, ſo hee would heare his praier, and giuegive him accordingly. So that he prayeth vntounto God here for all thoſe that ſhould pray in or towards that Temple, that whatſoeuer they ſhould pray to God for according to his will in their ſeuerall needes, hee that was the ſearcher of the hearts, and knew them, he would from time to time heare them continually. And this prayer of his, God did heare for all ſuch. For he did not onelyonly in the ſight of al the people giuegive an euident demonſtration of it, as it is ſaid, that when Salomon had made an end of praying, fire came downe from heauen, 2. Chron. 7.1.and conſumed the burnt offring and the ſacrifices: and the glorie of the Lord filled the houſe: but afterwards he did ſignifie the ſame priuately vntounto Salomon in expreſſe words: for it is written in the ſame place, that the Lord appeared to Salomon by night, and ſaid to him, I hauehave heard thy prayer, Verſ. 12.and hauehave choſen this place for my ſelfe to be an houſe of ſacrifice. If I ſhut the heauen that there be no raine, or if I command the graſhopper to deuoure the land, or if I ſend peſtilence among my people: if my people, among whom my name is called vponupon, doe humble themſelues, and pray, and ſeeke my preſence, and turne from their wicked waies, then will I heare in heauen, and be mercifull to their ſinne, and will heale their land.
Thus may wee pray continually for them that be abſent; for though new troubles of ſoule and body may befall them dayly which wee know not;Thus may we pray continually for them that are abſent, or will not make their eſtate known. and ſo wee cannot alwaies hauehave a fit prayer for eueryevery change in them: yet if they pray for themſelues (as charitie bindeth vsus to hope that they doe) this generall prayer of ours ſhall doe them good, that we deſire God to heare their prayers; and ſay as Salomon doth, what prayer and ſupplication ſoeuer ſhall be made of them, heare them in heauen, and defend their cauſe alwaies, as the matter requireth. So that whether ſome mens caſe be ſuch, that it is not meete that it ſhould be knowne vntounto many, yet many may be deſired to pray for them thus farre forth, that God would heare their prayers: or whether they bee loath themſelues to make it knowne (though it bee for their good) yet may they thus farre deſire the prayers of others, that God would heare them. And we againe our ſelues, if for want of knowledge we cannot tell how to pray ſo particularly for men as wee would: yet wee muſt not wholy neglect prayer for them: for it ſhall be ſufficient, when we can do no more, to pray thus, that God would heare their prayers. For when as many times wee knowe not our owne wants eueryevery one of them,Rom. 8.26. and yet generally commending them all vntounto God, knowne and vnknowne, he ſupplieth them in particular aboue al that we named, or could think of: for he knoweth the meaning of his owne ſpirit in vsus, and giueth according to the ſame: So then alſo, though wee knowe not the particular neceſſities of our brethren and friends, or of the whole Church, yet praying for them, God will giuegive according to the meaning of his ſpirit in our ſelues and them.As for thoſe that are v ſited with the Plague. There are many now that are in great ſickneſſe in diuers places, vnderunder this heauy hand of Gods viſitation, and ſome in great feare of it, becauſe of the infection, and ſome in great ſorrowe for the loſſe of their friends; we knowe not, neither can we, their ſpeciall troubles, or what paines they hauehave in their bodies, what want of outward comfort, what inward temptations of their minde; yet let vsus pray for them, and deſire God to heare their prayers, ſo ſhall wee doe them good. And thus may we pray to day and alwaies for the Church of God, and for the ſeueral parts of it, eſpecially vponupon the Lords day, that he would heare the prayers of the Church in all places, and that wee our ſelues might hauehave our part in them; and they ſhall be auailable for them, and for our ſelues.
It followeth in this verſe:The meaning of theſe words. The name of the God of Iacob defend thee. In theſe words the people continue their prayers for the King, and therein come to this particular, that God would defend him: For by the name of God they meane God himſelfe, who hath by his name made himſelf knowne vntounto vsus: and by Iacob they meane either that particular perſon and holy Patriarke, to whom God had ſaid that he would be his God, and ſo had renued the couenant with him, that was firſt made with Abraham and Iſaac his father and grandfather, and vponupon whom he had beſtowed many great benefits and deliuerances: or by Iacob he meaneth the poſteritie of Iacob, that is, the Iſraelites, with whom alſo as with their ſeede hee had couenanted to be their God, and that they ſhould be his people, and to whom he had made himſelfe knowne to be ſo by his word, Sacraments, and works, and vponupon whom alſo he had beſtowed many great deliuerances in Egypt, in the red ſea, in the wilderneſſe, and in their owne land: or by it, hee meaneth them both. And ſo they pray, that hee that was the God of Iacob, and ſo their God, and had giuen himſelfe that name, and by it had ſhewed how good and gracious he was, and would ſtill be vntounto them, would defend him from his enemies by his mightie power, and great goodneſſe. So then as they had before generally prayed God to heare his prayers, whatſoeuer they ſhould be: ſo here particularly, becauſe he was in trouble,The doctrine of the ſame. or like to come vntounto it, they pray for Gods defence in it, that hee might not miſcarrie, but happily come out of the ſame, and hauehave a bleſſed iſſue therein. Therefore as we may and ought to pray generally for others, when wee no otherwiſe know their eſta…,We muſt name in our prayers ſuch things a… … neede. ſo when we doe know it, wee muſt accordingly direct our prayers, and thoſe not onelyonly for ourſelues, but for others. For though God need not to be put in minde of any thing that wee neede, who knoweth all our neceſſities better than we doe our ſelues, and therfore when we are ignorant of the eſtate of any Church, we neede not feare, that for want of naming things in our prayers, God ſhould forget them; yet he would hauehave vsus name hat wee deſire, and ſo make our requeſts knowne vntounto him in …pplication and prayer,Phil. … 6. as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh: and to powre out our whole deſire before him,Pſa… …. as the Pſalmiſt ſaith: that it might appeare that we are not ignorant of our owne eſtate, when we can name that that we lack; and might alſo ſee how God bleſſeth vsus, not only generally, but particularly, that we might be thankfull for the ſame. And therefore as a childe asketh not onelyonly things needfull of his father, but this and that; and as Chriſt ſaith (but to another end) hee asketh him an egge, or fiſh, or bread; ſo we muſt doe vntounto the Lord.
And ſowe muſt particularly commend the eſtate of others vntounto God.And as wee muſt thus pray for our ſelues, ſo for others alſo: God would hauehave vsus to take knowledge of their eſtate, as much as we can, and be touched with it; that we might pray for this and that according to their neede in ſoule and bodie. Thus muſt wee pray by this example for our King, not onelyonly that God would heare his prayers from time to time; but ſeeing that wee heare that hee is ſubiect to many daungers, and that his enemies doe hunt after his life, and beſides the common caſualties of all men that he is with them ſubiect vntounto, his life is ſpecially ſought for: therefore we muſt pray that God would defend him, in theſe attempts, by diſcouering them in time, and bringing them to naught, yea conuerting or confounding all his enemies. And this is the beſt vſe that wee can and ſhould make of all the newes that wee heare of treaſons breaking foorth; that wee ſeeing the daungers, might pray to God to defend him. And as wee muſt doe thus for his Maieſtie firſt and chiefly, ſo for any others: as when wee heare in what danger the Churches are beyond the ſeas, as Geneua and others, how they are aſſaulted by their enemies, let vsus pray to God to defend them. And ſo likewiſe for our brethren here at home. We heare how the peſtilence raigneth in many places, wee are not only to pray that God would heare them; but more ſpecially that God would defend them from it, that are not in it; and thoſe that are, that he would deliuer them out of it▪ if it be his holy will. And thus as we muſt pray one for another, ſo wee ſee what wee ſhould pray for. So did the Martyrs one for another, that God would giuegive them comfort in the priſon, and ſtrength againſt the fire. And thus it is written of Doctor Cranmer Archbiſhop of Canterbury, that when his fellow priſoners Doctor Ridley and Maſter Latimer were burnt at Oxford for the Goſpell, hee looking out of the priſon where hee was, cried, The Lord Ieſus ſtrengthen you. They had neede then of great patience and ſtrength to beare ſuch things, and ſo hee prayed to God to giuegive them that which then they moſt needed. So then if wee know any to be in any diſtreſſe of ſoule or bodie, wee muſt pray for them according to their ſeuerall neede: as if they bee tempted for ſinne, that God would comfort them with the forgiuenes of their ſinne: if they bee tempted vntounto ſin, that God would ſtrengthen them againſt the ſame, and giuegive them the ſhield of faith,Eph. 6.16. whereby they may quench all the firie darts of the diuell: if they be fallen into ſinne, that God would raiſe them vp, and giuegive them repentance: if they bee poore, and want meate, drink, or cloathing, that God would giuegive them all things neceſſary for this life: if they be in ſicknes, that God would giuegive them patience and health: if they be oppreſſed with enemies, that God would reuenge their cauſe: if they be in any loſſe, that God would recompence it vntounto them. And ſo it is not enough to ſay, God be with them, God helpe them, or God bleſſe them, but we muſt come further to this or that, and pray God to giuegive it them according to their neede, as here they pray for defence for their King in this daunger that hee was in. And ſo wee ſee what wee hauehave to obſerue out of theſe words generally. The reſt wee will proſecute the next day by the grace of God.