Chap. 3 3, An L>pofitlon upon the Book, Of J on3. Verf. 26. with, and fobrought toa fight of himfelfe, and of his fin, with the fad etfeeis of it vifible upon this pained and confumptive body, is then flirred ro feek the Lord, and entreat his favour ; He (hall pray unto God ; HenceNote. Sickneffe ifaprayer feafon. Prayer is a dutynever out of feafon, yet at fome times more in feafon, and molt in feafon in times of affliction ; Lr anyman affli,_ ed, let him pray, (games 5.13.) And among all affltetions the affli&ion officknefs feemes to be a fpeciall feafon calling for this duty. Therefore in the 14verfe of the fame Chapter, affoon as he had faid, is any man dated, let him pray, it followeth, is any fiekamong you, at him call for the Elders ofthe Church, and let them pray over him ; 'Tishigh time for us when lick to look about us, to call inprayer-aide, or helpe from others in prayer ; yet 'cis not enough fct the afflicted, or the fick toget others topray for them, they mull pray for themfelves c Tome put off the duty ofprayer to others,and think it fufhceth if they fend bills to minr- liters or move friends to pray for them. I know fickneCs indifpo- feth to prayer, bodily paine and weaknefs hinder continuance and abiditngin the duty ; but that dòth not.excufe the rick from pray- ing for themfelves. To delire others to pray for us in bodyly ficknefs,and neglect it our felves is an ill fymptome of a lick foul ; yea todelire others in that cafe to pray for us, when we have no heart to pray for our felves, is too cleare a prognóftick that their prayers will nonprofit us, nor be prevailing for us. Pharoah,when under choredreadfull plagues, could fend. for Mofes and Aaron more then once, and faid unto them, entreat the Lordfor me, (Exod.9.27, 2â. Chap. so. 16, 17.) But we read hot that he entreated the Lord for himfelf. Simon Maws when (truck with the terrible threatnings of Peter, faid, Pray ye to theLord for one, that none ofthefe things whichye have fpoken come uponme, (A&s g. 24.) But we read not that he prayed for hirnfelf. The prayers ofothers are rarely benefciall to any, unleffethey eitker pray orhave oa defire to pray for themfelves. Elihu reprefents the lick man pray- ing for himfelf, he fhall pray ynte god. There's the object of prayer. Hence 423
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