Ch.5. The EfEfficacy James, of Prayer. Ch. S pointment for miraculous Cures, and never are; yet on his eameft Prayer, it raind not on made a Duty or Sacrament to continue when an idolatrous perfecuting Country for three Miracles ceafe. Years and a half; and at his Prayer it rain'd 3. Sickneflès are dually corrective Punifh- again, and the Land was fruitful. ments for Sin ; and to forgive theSin as to that Penalty, is to remit the Punili moot, and heal 19, 20. Brethren, if any of you do the lick. err from the truth, and one convert 4. The Promife of Pardon and Recovery him; Let him know, that he which prefuppofeth thePerron penitent, and fit for that converteth the inner from the errour Deliverance. of his wa fhall five a foul from 16. Confefs your faults one to ano- death, and !hall hide a multitude of ther, and pray one for another, that fns ' ye may be healed : the effegual fer- 19, zo. Ibefeech you, Brethren, be neither vent prayer Of a righteous man av,i- negligent or difpairing to the cure of men in leth much. Error, nor yet impatient with thofe thatwould 16. Therefore penitentlyconfeti your faults deteíl your Errors, and convince.you and bring to one another, (efpecially to the Elders that you to Repentance (as pr ud impenitent perfons vifit you) and pray one for another; for this are) but know that (as all men, alas, are too is the likelyway ofyout Recovery : The rife- prone to Error) ifany man err from the Truth dual, fervent, instantPrayer of a Righteous (through ignorance or a corrupted will) and Man is ofgreat forceor prevalence. oneconveit him, he that converted; áSinner Note, 1. An impenitent man is unfit for Par from his Error in mind or life, loth not only don, and therefore for Deliverance from Pu- do that which tendeth to fave his life from nithment : andhe that Both not penitentlycon- God's punifhing Broke, but alto !hall fave his fefs and bewail his fin, cannot be judgedya true Soul from everlafting death, and procure the Penitent ; and therefore cannot be pray'd for Pardon of his manifold Sin, not only fo far with that Faith and Hope as we may do for that the Church, but Godhimfelf, !hall receive the Penitent. z. This is not to be a cuftomary him into a reconcil'd flare. thing, or only to a Prieft, but it's a Duty both Note, -1. That Error and Sinare the way to in Sicknefs and Health, wherever the exprefri- Death and Mifery. 2. Converting the erro- on of Repentance to others is a Duty. By neous Sinner, is the way to fave him. 3. One which, alas, we knowhow raretrue Repentance Man may be Paidto Cave another (much more a is, when even Profeffors of Zeal in Religion man himfelf) byconverting him, without de- are (harp in ceafuring and blaming others ; and rogating fromChrift's Salvation, but in fubor.. except a very fewhumble Souls, if they be ne- dination to it, 4. Therefore all Chrifians,but vet fo juftiy blam'd or reprov'd, do fwell efpecially Miniflets,lhould be diligent and skil- agsin1'r the Reprover with Prideand Indignati. ful to convert erroneous Shooters, and the env- on, as if he were their Enemy: And they that nano patient and thankful for their help. feparate from the Churches for want ofDifci- Note, If it be the. Gnofticks, as Dr. ¡E faith, pline, are earneft for it for others, but cannot that games here, anti Paulin his Epiflles, fen bear it on themfelves, nor fo much as endure a greatly warn the Chriftians againft, alas, too confutation of- their Errors, but take him to great a part ofthe Church-Goyernours and Bi- fpeak again4 Godlinef, who fpeaketh againft Shops,, and their Clergies abroad on Earth, feem their miftakes and faults ; and too many ( like turn'd very like thefe by him defcrib'd Gnollicks. the Prophane) will turn again, and all to rend I. In being for Worldly Interefl, Wealth and him. Pleafure. 2. In being for Ceremonies. 3. In 17. Elias was a man fubjeft to like joining with theVngadlyEnemies of Piety. 4. in piffions as we are, and he prayed ear- ring Latitudinarians, or Licentious again 1tef ly that it might not rata : and it ftriólnefs and tendernefs of Confcience, and mined not on the earth by the fpace being Prifec iti things not bareunderling ç, In Y being Perfecutors, And'if fe rlingGno- of three years and fix months. t 8.And Pricks or Nicolairens could fo trouble theChur- he frtyed again, and the heaven gave dies then, whet a cafemoil thofe Countries be -rain nd the earth brought forth her where theyare got into the Epifcopal Chair, fruit. ` and claim the Keys ofthe KingdomofHeaven, to execute their Pride and Lulls over Princes T 7, i8. Think not that Prayer is a vain or and People ofall forts, fare Borbórites or Gus- unefftaual thing, tho' we he frail and faulty ftio(s are not the lefs fach, nor the lets dango, men : E'aas was but a man, liable both to fuffe- rout, forbeing call'dBilhops,and havingPower, rings and to a troubled mind in them ; as we Wealth and;ntereft. Pp Á'bß
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