r--------------------------------- .eA. nExpojition of Cbrifls ' ~1;_"h·7· 1 - -- - 1--,----- dation in three dillinCt vvords, Ask!,fcck,s,and 1 A arc we~ha~ may :re tho.fc mc:l~1cs: fori.n.a;kjng I IQtock§;whcrcofthe latter imports more vchc~ lVer~cc1ree,m foei;J11g1vejmde,andin k.;.ocl;j_ 11g 1t 1~· j mcncc then the former. Aod this hcc cloth to ope~cd vnto vr. . : . 1 check thenackcncsand coldL'1CSofou·r praicrs, .secondly, our Sall!our ChnO: by trebling I Caurc:.. ~hy and to ltirrc vs vp to fcrucnt z.calc & diligence th1s ~ommandcmcn~ t?prt~y, \~Oul~ giuc vs to : ;;; ~!~;~~~;:t in this dutic both in publikc~md p~iuatc. And conhder that there ts tome vv:ughuc caufc we I in e~~lcr. to moouc vs t0 godly ·t.calc and diligence in fhould be in{bnt in this dutic; and th:tt is , in this dutic, confider the rcafons following. I. regard ofthe great miiCrics and manifold dan- . Chr~{!.rolvncc.\·f!f?~plc,which in tl10rall duties ill- a gcrs "vhcrCLlllrO we arc fubicct in this life : for perfeCt rule: Now though he b:ld little need to Peter f:1ith, rhc rightcor~.f'M!! hardlj 6e{twetl: 1 .rct.i.t&. pray in rcfpcCl of himlclfc, fo~· hce did ucucr and no marudl, for we hauc withour t>J, the dcti.nnc, yet how ofrcn, :mdhow long, and with uil and :'Ill his Angels plotting our de~huClion, what fcruencic did he g:uc himfelfc to this duand the world a dangerous cncmic whereby tic? hejfr:;;t 1vhol~ nighr.r in prttycr, Luk. 6. 1 2. the dcuill workcs ; )Pithin. vswe hauc our own ' anti 111 prmcr in the garden hcc fivet rveter and corrupt hcans,da1ly drawing vs to the pr:tC1ife ; blood, \Vc h:me alfo M ofos example, who fpent 1 of finne, the banc :md poifon of our foules. 1f oriicda; es and forticnights in pra;er ~md{4/i~1g B Now what is to be done in this cafe? furcly our (for tlu peoplc, wl•en they had finned, De ut. 9· oncly refuge, is confbnr and fcrucm prayer to 18, 19. If he were thu.;: fcruent in prayer for God, as ChriH here im~)lycs by this three-fold their Iinnt:s, how earnc{l would he be for his command: for m all things Inyour r~qucfls bee ownc? And Daniel humbled himfclfc many m.1dek._no1vneto God, Philip. 4· 6. This hath aldai.cs,anJ prayed ferucntly for his peoplc,D~n. waies bc::enc the praC\:ifc of all th~ fairhfulJ , :~s 9. ~ ,4. &c. Dauid praycdfoallentim-erad":J, ~f'Jd V\'e may fee in Gods bookc. But if·we had no rofovp at midnight togiuctiJtmk.l to God, Pf. I 19. example, this commandement were fuf{icient 164.6 2 •. And Pmd willeth the Romanes that to per[ wade vs vnro this dutie.Alfo doe!l thou they wouldjlri:te or wrcjl!ewirh ln'm b; praicr to want any grace of God, as fairh , repCinancc, God, Ram. 1 5. )O. All thefc arc \:\'Orthy ex:un-_ knowledge, zcalc, patience, fhcngth ::~gainfl: pies vnto vs;and ifwe compare our [clues with temptation, oralfurancc of Gods fauOur? \vhy themwe !hall (cc \\'C haue much more eau ft lo ask._c andthou{halt haue,fork!andthoujh~1ltjit 1 dr; to doe: for our tinnes abound abouc theirs, And thismufl: be qur courfe in ourward .w<~:ms,. anJ therefore had nceclc to pray for the p'ie-· C and for temporall bldlings, as he:dt~1, peace, ucntingofGods iudgemcnrs which our CtnQ~s· lihertie, plcnuc,&c.Indecd the wicked worldcall f<?ragainfi vs. Alfo we come farrc fhort of lin.gs fcck tc;> wife men &.wife ·women in their. them ingrace, and rhcrcforc had ncede to pray miferies, bur this is to f<?rf::~kc God.,and to goc f()r ft•pply thereofagain{hhe titne ofneed :for to the dcuill: Gods peoplem~tftgoe ro.rheir God, our dayes ofpeace will not al·waies laft, 'v\'Ce Ifa.S.Ig>. .. H1uc cnioycd it long,and therefore mufl lookc Thirdly, the trebling of this commande- \Vc:mufibc for dayes ofrriall,forthc !late ofGods Church. ment in diucr(e tcarmes 1 mull ceach ys, t.o bee ;:~;~~.in is intcrchange;~.ble. I I. Rcaflm. .All of vs muH inflanr and vrgcnrwithGod iri pr<"ycr: rhis is come to dcalc with God, both in the day of an holy and :'lct:eptable impo'rtunity,w~cn t.hc death, and at the day of iudgcmcnr; at both Chri!l:ian heart giues God no_rdl : Ierem. 29. ......·hich mncs all \o\'orldly hdpes and comforts 12,1 ~·the Lord promifcth tc:> his pe~op1e)That will forfakevs,:md bynomeans can we fhunnc the_; ftHtllcricv ntohim, f-ndgot!ndprtl}':l~to(1im~'· ~~.at 3CCOlHlt; therefore it V\'ill be good for andhe wi/l IJetliC them: they flJti/l{ce/zyhim, and vS while we liuc often to fer our [clues before jindehim, 6ecaufe ;lejftHdl Jeeli!bim with 1he1r th'c Lord, th:a fo we may make our [clues fawholchenrt, lfa. 6:2.7. The Lo1·ds rcmemlm:mmiliar and acquainted '-\'ith him againft that cerulrecomm(lndrdn'ott.o k.§~p~Jilence,nor!ogiflc day: But if now we dlrangc our fdues from D thcLordmlJrrfi. Matt_h. 1 ~· 22. The 1voman of God in rcg:1rd ofehis cxercifc ofprayer, then C.-rnaan t~ commendcd, 6ecm~fo Jhee wiU t."!k_sno at our end V\'e ihall find the Lord to be firangc anfwer nor repulfc fro_ll,'l Our SauiOur Chritl,rill vntovs, and to profcflC that he k?_1orvo vs not, her daughter was curc$i: and,Lu~c 18. ~.The. which will be ·woe vnro vs. I I f. Rcafon. Eucpoore widowbj her importmJ~t:ieprN{ttiledn•irhthe ry good thing V\'CC haue or !land in nccdc of, v;wighreom f11~~c .: which p:tr:tblc Chrj£l procomes from the mercie and boumic of God in pounds to teach vs r.o be c,ontla~lt :md carneft Chri(t: and pr:1yer is :111 ordin:tric mc~nes for in pr:1ycr. VVc.~herc:forc muh: ~ake off ourry~- thc pr~curingof <?ods blciTi~gs; ·we ther7forc tur:tll coldt~cffc and neoligencc i.n, pr~}'cr, mull gntc our fclu~s to the faahfnlll ~raCbfe of which is the cOmon fin of'r!leworld in rcg:~~4 this dutic. Indeed if grace and other bldfings ofrh is dutic. And wc mu!J labom for kpO\\'- wcre c;mr ownc ,.or from our fcluq, we might ledge: both ofOLll' O,\~·nc fit.mss & mifcrie.s, and . wrll fpare this labour,BmJVhar hqjlthofs(fairh of Gods mercies, rhat fo we m:~y pray ~with ~ Paulto cueric Chrill.i:m) thttt rhou. ha.ft r1ot re..- ·vndcrlhnding,& in.l'.calc~ fcrucncie as Chtift ceir~ed? be not therefore fccurC and idle, for here requircth. .Alas m:my pr:ty not at all, & o:-- Gods bfeffings come not when wcfnort vpon rhcrSknow not wh:uthcy,as.k.,thqugh they py our clbocs, but in the vfc of me:\11C$; & happic / the L.praier,or fome other frt ~ormcof pr-aicr. - -- And I.Cor.~·7·
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