Of Ejaculatory Prayer, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Men exhorted to be much in Ejaculatory Prayer for Others. It is their Duty to Pray for Others, as well as for Themſelves. It is their Duty to Pray for Others with Ejaculatory Prayer. When they ſhould Pray with Ejaculatory Prayer for Others. For whom they ſhould Pray, when they Pray with Ejaculatory Prayer for Others.
HAving Exhorted you to be much in Ejaculatory Prayer for your ſelves, I come now to Exhort you to be much in Ejaculatory Prayer
2. For Others. Labour to be much in Ejaculatory Prayer for Others.
In Preſſing this Exhortation to Pray with Ejaculatory Prayer for Others, I will inſiſt upon theſe three Particulars.
1. To ſhew you why you ſhould Pray with Ejaculatory Prayer for Others.
2. When you ſhould Pray with Ejocutory Prayer for Others.
3. For whom you ſhould Pray, when you Pray with Ejaculatory Prayer for Others.
I. W… you ſhould Pray with Ejaculator… Prayer for Others.
For the clearing of this, I will ſhew y…,
1. that it is your Duty to Pray for Others as well as for Your ſelves. And then,
2. That it is your Duty to Pray for Others with Ejaculatory Prayer.
1. It is your Duty, not only to Pray for Your ſelves, but alſo to make Conſcience of Praying for Others. This is expreſsly commanded, Jam. 5. 16. Confeſs your faults one to another, and pray one for another. And this Reaſon is given, The effectual fervent Prayer of a Righteous man availeth much with God: that is, not only for himſelf (the Apoſtle doth not ſpeak of that in this place) but for others alſo. q. d. his Prayers avail much for Others, and therefore you ſhould Pray for them; by this you ſhould be encouraged to do it. This you are exhorted unto, 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. I exhort therefore, that firſt all Supplications, Prayers, Interceſſions, and giving of Thanks be made for all men. Mark it, for all men: And he exhorteth to this firſt of all, † before he deſcends‖ Hoc primum, inquit, praſcribo, …nam praeſcribet▪ deinceps & alia. to any other Particulars, thereby intimating, that it is a ſpecial Duty,Grot. in loc. that every one ought to make Conſcience of, to Pray for Others as well as for Themſelves. It is taught you alſo in the Lords Prayer. For there it is not, My Father which art in Heaven, nor, Give me my daily Bread, nor, Forgive me my Treſpaſſes, &c. But, Our Father, Give us, and Forgive us, &c. Chriſt thereby teaching you, that it is your Duty to Pray for others, as well as for your ſelves. You are commanded likewiſe to get Others to Pray for you, Jam. 5. 14. Is any ſick among you? let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them Pray over him. And not only Elders are to be deſired, but (as there is occaſion) Others alſo, as is implyed, v. 16. Confeſs your faults one to another, and Pray one for another. Now as you are commanded to get others to pray for you, ſo others are by the ſame command required to get you to pray for them; and ſo it is your Duty to pray for Others, and not Your ſelves only. Again, God hath promiſed to hear his people, not only for themſelves, but for others alſo. As Iſa. 45. 11. Jam. 5. 14, 15, 16. 1 John 5. 16. Now when ever God makes a Promiſe to the doing of a Duty, it is, as to encourage, ſo likewiſe to engage to the doing of it. Furthermore, The Examples of the Godly in all ages, praying for others, as well as for themſelves, bind you to this Duty: Abraham prayed for Sodom, Lot for Zoar, Moſes for the Iſraelites, David for the whole Church, Paul for particular Churches; as for the Romans, Rom. 1. 9. for the Coloſſions, Col. 1. 9. and not only for▪ particular Churches, but for particular Perſons; as for Timothy, 2 Tim. 1. 3. for Philemon, Philem. v. 4. Theſe Examples ought to be imitated. They have been earneſt likewiſe with others for their Prayers; as Hezekiah for Iſaiah's prayers, 2 King. 19. 4. Paul for the Romaus prayers. See how paſſionatly earneſt, and importunate he was (Now I beſeech you, Brethren, for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt his ſake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye ſtrive together with me, in your prayers to God for me.) Rom. 15. 30. Which he would not have been, but that he knew, that to pray for others was not only▪ a Duty, but a very prevailing Duty (if performed aright) for thoſe on whoſe behalf it ſhould be performed. And therefore he was in great hopes, and did exceedingly comfort himſelf upon the prayers that were made for him; as upon the Corinthians prayers, 2 Cor. 1. 11. and upon the Philippians prayers, Phil. 1. 19. We may add unto all this, that the Precept of Chriſtian Charity requires no leſs of you, (eaſpecially when your prayers are deſired by any on their behalf.) For therein you are commanded to love your neighbour as your ſelves; and if to love him as your ſelves, then certainly to pray for him as well as for your ſelves. To Pray for your ſelves, neceſſity requires; to Pray for others, Charity. Charity begins at home, but doth not ſtay at home. The Law alſo of your Communion with Chriſt requires it. You have Communion with him in his Prieſtly Office, and by vertue of that are made Prieſts unto God, 1 Pet. 2. 9. and therefore as ſuch, are bound to make interceſſion for others. Laſtly, Hereby you ſhall imitate the example of Chriſt, who Prayed not only for himſelf, but for others, which you are eſpecially bound to do. For he hath given us an example that we ſhould follow his ſteps, 1 Pet. 2. 21.
Thus you ſee it is your Duty to Pray for Others, as well as for your Selves.
Now this being premiſed, I will ſhew you,
2. That it is your Duty to Pray for Others as well as for your Selves with Ejaculatory Prayer.
For the proof of this conſider,
Firſt, You are expreſsly commanded to Pray with all Prayer for all Saints. So in the Text, Praying always with all Prayer for all Saints, &c. and therefore with this. So that you are to Pray not only for your Selves with Ejaculatory Prayer, but for Others alſo.
Secondly, You have many Examples of Ejaculatory Prayer for Others recorded in the Scripture. Abraham Prayed with Ejaculatory Prayer for Iſhmael. And Abraham ſaid, Oh that Iſhmael might live before thee, Gen. 17. 18. Eli Prayed with Ejaculatory Prayer for Hannah. Go in peace, and the God of Iſrael grant thee thy Petition that thou haſt asked of him, 1 Sam. 1. 17. Eliſhah Prayed with Ejaculatory Prayer for his Servant. And Eliſha prayed, and ſaid, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may ſee, 2 King. 6. 17. Stephen Prayed with Ejaculatory Prayer for thoſe that ſtoned him. And he kneeled down, and cryed with a loud voice; Lord, lay not this ſin to their charge, Act. 7. 60. Chriſt Prayed with Ejaculatory Prayer for thoſe that Crucified him. Then ſaid Jeſus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, Luke 23. 34. Theſe, and divers other Examples there are of Ejaculatory Prayer for Others in Scripture, which you are bound to follow.
Thirdly, God hath heard Ejaculatory Prayer for Others. He heard Abrahams Ejaculatory Prayer for Iſhmael. As for Iſhmael, I have heard thee, Behold I have bleſſed him, and will make him fruitful, &c. So Eli's Ejaculatory Prayer for Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. 26. in granting her Petition, he granted his which he made on her behalf. So the Lord heard Eliſha's Ejaculatory Prayer for his Servant. The Lord opened the eyes of the Young man, and he ſaw, 2 King. 6. 17. So Stephen's & Chriſt's. Now as the Command and the Examples lay an obligation upon you, ſo this Experience of God's hearing it, is, and ſhould be an encouragement to you, to be much in it. As David, Pſal. 32. 5. telling of God's hearing him, &c. Saith, For this ſhall every one that is Godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayeſt be found.
Fourthly. You cannot Pray for ſo many in particular in your Set-prayers as you may in your Ejaculatory Prayers. It is your Duty, not only to Pray for others in the general, but in particular alſo. The Apoſtle tells that when he Prayed for others, he mentioned them particularly by name in his Prayers. So Rom. 1. 9. I make mention of you in my Prayers. And ſo he tells the Epheſians, Epheſ. 1. 16. So the Theſſalonians, 1 Theſ. 1. 2. So Philemon, Philem. v. 4. He made mention of particular Churches by name, and of particular Perſons by name. So Abraham made mention of his Son Iſhmael by name; and Job, when he Prayed for his Children, did not only Pray for them all in the general, but for every one in particular. He offered a Sacrifice ('tis ſaid) according to the number of them all.
Fifthly, You cannot Pray ſo ſuddainly and ſpeedily for them in your Set-prayers, as you may in your Ejaculatory Prayers. Many times their neceſſity is ſo urgent, that there muſt be Prayer for them preſently, without any delay. But that cannot be always in Set-prayer, becauſe that requires a certain time, which is not always coincident with others occaſions.
Sixthly, You cannot Pray ſo much with them in Set-prayer, as you may in Ejaculatory Prayer. 'Tis but ſeldome (in compariſon) that you can be with them in Set-prayer, ſo as to Pray for them in their preſence; and yet that is your Duty: But you may, when ever you be with them, Pray for them in Ejaculatory Prayer. To Pray for them, and with them, that is, in their preſence, in their hearing, will the more convince them of your love to them, direct and quicken them to their Duty, and provoke them to Pray for you with Ejaculatory Prayer too, and ſo there will be a mutual exchange of Ejaculatory Prayers with each other. As Ruth 2. 4.
For theſe Reaſons you ought to be much in Ejaculatory Prayer for Others: and ſo you have the firſt Particular; Why you ſhould Pray with Ejaculatory Prayers for Others. The Second is,
11. When you ſhould Pray with Ejaculatory Prayer for Others, or what are the ſpecial ſeaſons of performing this Duty of Ejaculatory Prayer for Others.
1. When you go to Viſit them, or do occaſionally meet with them, Gen. 47. 7. And Joſeph brought in Jacob his Father, and ſet him before Pharaoh, and Jacob bleſſed Pharaoh: that is, Prayed by Ejaculatory Prayer for a Bleſſing upon him.
2. When they are going from you. So when Jacob went from Iſaac, Iſaac Prayed for him with Ejaculatory Prayer. God Almighty bleſs thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, &c. Gen. 28. 3.
3. When you are going from them. So Jacob, when he went out from Pharaoh, Gen. 47. 10.
4. When you do occaſionally think of them, when they come to your reremembrance. So Paul, Phil. 1. 3. I thank God upon every remembrance of you, always in every Prayer of mine for you all, making requeſt with joy. Then remembring the condition they be in, or are like to be in, accordingly let your Prayer be.
5. When ſuddain danger unawares doth ſurprize them, then dart up ſome ſuddain Ejaculatory Prayer for them. Ejaculatory Prayer is eſpecially uſeful upon ſuddain occaſions both for our ſelves, and others. Herein lies one ſpecial excellency of it. Then pray that the Lord would be a preſent help in time of trouble, that he would make ſpeed to help, that he would interpoſe, &c.
6. When they are undertaking any difficult and hazardous Service. So when David was going to fight with the Philiſtine; Saul ſaid, Go, and the Lord be with thee, 1 Sam. 17. 37.
7. When you receive any ſpecial kindneſs from any. Thus Naomi, when Ruth told how kind Boaz had been, Ruth 2. 19, 20. When ſhe ſaw what ſhe had gleaned, ſhe ſaid, where haſt thou gleaned to day? Bleſſed be he that did take knowledge of thee, v. 19. And when Ruth had told her, ſhe ſaid, Bleſſed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindneſs to the living, and to the dead. So Paul, ſpeaking of Oneſiphorus's kindneſs, takes an occaſion to pray for him with Ejaculatory Prayer, 2 Tim. 1. 16, 18. The Lord give mercy to the houſe of Oneſyphorus, for he oft refreſhed me; the Lord grant unto him, that he may find mercy of the Lord at that day.
8. When they are actually at work in their particular Callings: Then ſay, The bleſſing of the Lord be upon you. Then bid them God ſpeed. Then ſay, We bleſs you in the name of the Lord, or Lord be with thy Servants, Proſper the work of their hands. Thus Boaz, when he came into the field to the Reapers, Ruth 2. 4. ſaid, The Lord be with you.
9. When they deſire you to pray for them, when they beg your Prayers, then preſently dart up ſome Ejaculatory Prayer for them. When your Children come and ſay, Pray to God to bleſs me, then ſay, The Lord bleſs thee my Child; or, Lord bleſs this Child.
10. When they utter any Ejaculatory Prayer for you. So when Boaz prayed for the Reapers, The Lord be with you; they anſwered, The Lord bleſs thee, Ruth 2. 4.
11. When they are entering into a new Relation, or changing their condition. So when Boaz Marryed Ruth, all the people that were in the Gate, and the Elders ſaid, The Lord make the woman that is come into thy houſe, like Rachel, and like Leah, which two did build the houſe of Iſrael, Ruth 4. 11, 12.
12. When you are giving any good Exhortation, or Counſel, then ſay, The Lord bleſs this to you, The Lord grant you may not forget it, &c.
And thus you have the ſecond Particular, When you ſhould pray with Ejaculatory Prayer for Others. The Third is.
III. For Whom you ſhould pray, when you pray with ejaculatory Prayer for Others.
1. The Text ſaith, for all Saints; that is for all Saints living here upon Earth, For you are not to pray for thoſe that are dead. And therefore David left off praying for his Child, as ſoon as he knew that he was dead, 2 Sam. 12. 23. This I note, becauſe 'tis ordinary for ignorant perſons, though not to make Setprayers (they being out of uſe ſince Popery hath expired) yet to make Ejaculatory Prayers for the dead. As when they ſpeak of ſuch an one that is dead, to ſay, God be with him, and God have mercy upon his Soul, &c. But there is neither ‖Quum mihi objiciunt Adverſarij, ante mille & …recentos annos, uſu rceptum fuiſſe, ut precationes fierunt pro defunctis, eos viciſſim interrogo, Quo Dei Verbo, quâ Revelatione, quo Ex…mpl… factum ſit. Calv. Inſtitut. l. 3. c. 5.Precept, nor approved Example of this in the Scripture, and therefore you muſt not pray for the dead, but for the living; and not only for thoſe that are living at preſent, but for thoſe that ſhall be living for the future, John 17. 20.Vide Reinoldum de Sacr. Scrip. Eccleſ. Theſ. 5. p. 160.
Again,
2. The Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Tim. 2. 1. for all forts; not only Saints, but *Etiam pro nondum credentibus.Sinners. We are there commanded to pray for all men, thereforeGrot. in loc. even for the worſt, the vileſt of men; for Ejaculatory Prayer may prevail for the Converſion of ſuch. Yet this you muſt know, that you are not to pray for any ſuch, or any elſe as they are actually engaged in any evil way; you may not dart up any Ejaculatory Prayer for them, as being in ſuch a way.
1. Not for ſuch as Perſecute and Oppreſs the Church of God, Pſal. 129. 5, 6, 7, 8.—neither do they that paſs by ſay, The bleſſing of the Lord be upon you, &c.
2. Not for ſuch as ſeduce by falſe Doctrine. 2 Epiſt. of John v. 10. Bid him not God-ſpeed, for thoſe that do ſo, are partakers of his evil deeds. And this is true of others, as engaged in any way of ſin to the diſhonour of God, and detriment of Religion, we may not pray one Ejaculatory Prayer for them, as engaged in ſuch a way. And here by the way you may note, what an evil it is to do that which hinders the Ejaculatory Prayers of others. As it is a great evil for any to do that that hinders their own Prayers; ſo likewiſe to do that that hinders the Prayers of others, though it be but their Ejaculatory Prayers. Oh conſider, if God caſt thee out of their Ejaculatory Prayers, much more doth he caſt thee out of their Solemn Prayers. Oh that ſuch would conſider.
Thus you ſee whom you ſhould Pray for by Ejaculatory Prayer, in the general. In ſpecial, you muſt Pray by Ejaculatory Prayer for your ſpecial Relations. As Parents muſt Pray by Ejaculatory Prayer for their Children; Children for their Parents; Maſters for their Servants, Servants for their Maſters; Miniſters for their People, People for their Miniſters; Magiſtrates for their Subjects, Subjects for their Magiſtrates. What Duties ſoever we owe to others by vertue of our Relations, we are more eſpecially bound to them by thoſe Relations; and where we are more eſpecially bound, there it is the greater ſin to be guilty of neglect. Abraham made Conſcience of Ejaculatory Prayer for his Child; Eliſhah for his Servant; Boaz's Servants for their Maſter; the Iſraelites for their King; 1 King. 1. 39. Let us be careful to do ſo too. By this means you may procure much good to them; obtain many a Bleſſing for them. And by this means we may prevail that they become greater Bleſſings to our ſelves; ſo as that we ſhall have the greater Comfort in them, and by them.