The Strong Helper

O Rdered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament, that Sir William Massam, do from this House give thanks to Mr. Marshall for the great pains he took in the Sermon he Preached this day at the entreaty of this House, at St. Margaret's Westminster (it being the day of public humiliation) and to desire him to Print his Sermon. And it is Ordered, that none shall presume to Print his Sermon, not being authorized under his hand-writing.

A SERMON PREACHED To the Honorable House of COMMONS at their Monethly Fast, April 30. 1645.

I Began the handling of this portion of Scripture the last public solemn Fast, before the Honorable House of Peers, and I then shown, that these two Verses do contain two such remarkable circumstances, which always accompany the building up of Zion, as do justly render it the most glorious and excellent work in all the world, most worthy of all men's observation and admiration, so that all the Kings and all the Nations might well stand amazed at it, and it deserves to be written, that all the Generations to come may praise God for it; the first is, that when ever the Lord doth build up Zion, he doth appear in his glory, he never shows himself more like himself, never more magnifies those excellent perfections of his Wisdom, and Power, and Mercy, and Holiness, and Truth, then he doth when he builds up his Church; This I handled before that Honorable House the last day, at large, and now this Honorable House having commanded my poor labors, to be a furtherance of your humiliation, and prayer, that you may be the assistance of God be carried on the better in your great work of helping the Lord in building the Church, while like so many Nehemiah's, you are building with the Trowell in one hand and the Sword in the other; I could not think of anymore fitter, more suitable, or seasonable Theame, then to go on to open the second Circumstance, which accompanies the building up of Zion, which you have in these words, When the Lord doth build up Zion, he will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer; All the prayers that his forlorn and desolate people had been offering up many years before, when (it may be) they despaired of ever meeting with any comfortable return, they should now find their Jubilee, they should now have a full crop, of all their seed gathered in with joy; when the Lord doth build up Zion, he regards his people's Prayers: The sum of the Text is, A gracious promise of God's hearing his people's Prayers; He will regard the prayers of the destitute, or he will turn to them, or he will look upon them, he will behold them; the meaning plainly is, he will grant them thus, that is, first positively laid down: secondly, it is also laid down negatively, He will not despise them; and in this negative, there is another affirmation, rather stronger then the former; for when God is said not to despise, the meaning is, he doth highly value it; with God, non spernere is magnifacere, as An humble and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise, that is, thou dost highly esteem it; so also here however these poor afflicted ones had imagined, because God had made them no return that he did scorn them and their prayers, he would now let them to their comfort know, that all their prayers lay before him, and were very highly regarded by him; They had sown in tears, they must now reap in joy, now they should find that their prayers were like so many Talents put into God's bank, which they should receive into their bosom with advantage, he would no longer cause their heart to faint with deferring their hope, he would now regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

Which gracious promise of God, to regard the prayers of his people, hath in this place a threefold aspect; First,

We are to consider it in relation to the persons, whose prayers shall be regarded, and that you have in this word, he will regard the prayer of the destitute; And Secondly,

This regarding of prayer doth respect the Time, when he will regard it; When the Lord doth build up Zion, he will regard the prayers of the destitute; And Thirdly,

This regarding of the prayers of his people, hath an aspect upon the matter, wherein he will regard them; when he builds up Zion, he will regard their prayer, that is, (as God willing you shall hear anon) that their prayers shall be the means of building Zion, he will build Zion, as that which their prayers have been the means of, and have drawn from him; when the Lord shall build up Zion, he will regard the prayers of the destitute; I begin with the first of them:

The persons, they are here called the destitute; he will regard the prayer of the destitute: the Hebrew word, which is here translated destitute, doth properly signify Myrica, a low shrub, humilesque Myricae, low shrubs that grow in Wildernesses, some think they were Juniper shrubs, some a kind of wild Tamyris, but a base low shrub, that grew nowhere but in a desolate forlorn place; and sometimes the word in the Text is used, to signify the Deserts of Arabia, the sandy desert place of Arabia, which was a miserable wilderness; Now when this word is applied to men, it always means, such as were forsaken men, despised men; such men as are stripped of all that is comfortable to them, either they never had children, or else all their children are taken away from them, and all comforts banished, and themselves left utterly forlorn, like the barren heath in a desolate howling Wilderness; these are the people of whom my Text speaks, that the Lord will regard the prayer of the destitute: and this was now the state of the Church of God, when they offered up this prayer, and yet by faith did foretell that God would grant such a gracious answer.

And this promise as relating to these persons, affords us two excellent lessons.

First, Into what a miserable low and forlorn condition, God often lets his Church fall, before he do appear for their deliverante; They are desolate and forsaken, left like the Deserts of Arabia, like the broken shrub of a tree, that nobody regards: Such was their present condition; you have it in all the former part of the Psalm, Like a Pelican, like an Owl, as a desolate Widow, they eat their meat with ashes, and mingle their drink with weeping: to this condition did God let his Church come, before he did appear as a succourer, and a helper of her; I confess God doth not always so, sometimes he doth keep the feet of his people from falling: sometimes as soon as ever they fall, he snatches them up with his right hand; sometimes he lets heaviness fall upon them for a night, and sends them joy and deliverance the next morning; but frequently, yea, and ordinarily, before the greatest mercies, he lets them be brought into a most miserable condition, so that they shall have no human hope ever to come out of it; So they were in Egypt wasted out in an iron furnace; so they were in Babylon, when their bones lay scattered upon the earth, as Chips in a timber-yard; and it was ordinary for the Church to complain before her deliverance, that she was like a bird in the fowlers snare, as a Lamb fallen into a Wolves, or Lions den; and ordinary for God to acknowledge, that when he comes to deliver them, he chooses them, and finds them in a furnace of affliction. And this is true not only of the Church in general, but you may read the same of abundance of God's dearest Saints, who have been brought and reduced to extremity of misery, before ever he appeared for their succor: Thus it was with David and Daniel, and the three Children, and Paul, and multitudes of others. And this the Lord doth for these two causes: First,

It usually thus betides God's people through their own foolishness; themselves are the causes why they come so low; David in the name of the Church, confessed, I am brought into great heaviness, I lie roaring all the night long, my wounds stink and are corrupt, because of my own foolishness; for first they offend God, their gracious God, and when they have offended him, they continue impenitently in sin; and when God appears, and begins to correct them, they kick with the heel against him, and will not take notice of his hand, but go on obstinately; They impute it to anything rather then God's displeasure, will not confess their sin, their uncircumsized heart is not humbled in them, when they lie as a wild bull in a net, full of the fury of the Lord; they kick and fling, fret and vex themselves, suffer and murmur, smart and repine, but will not renounce their own counsel, nor lay down their arms of rebellion; and thus like foolish sons, they stay longer then they need, in the place of the breaking forth of children; and this God will not bear from them, but now by long and tedious trials, and by being thus brought to great extremities, their hearts are softened and melted, the pride of their spirits broken; they search and try their ways, their foul stomachs are emptied of that glut which lay upon them, they cast off their carnal confidence, and self-conceitedness; when they have been bound in fetters, and holden in cords of affliction, then they see their own works, then their ears are opened to Discipline, when with the Prodigal, they have eat husks with the Swine, and are ready to die with hunger, then they think seriously of returning to their Fathers house, and so hereby are made the fitter for their deliverance. And Secondly,

He likewise doth it for his own glory; for the lower they are before he appear for their succor, the more honor doth he gain to himself in their deliverance: This reason Christ himself gave it, in the 11 of John, when they told him that Lazarus was sick, and Christ knew he was sick to death, yea, that he was dead, but This sickness (said Christ) is not unto death, but that the Son of God might be magnified; as if he had said, Lazarus shall die, and go to the grave, and lie while he is ready to stink there, not that I delight to have Lazarus brought low, and looked upon as a dead man, but that my glory might the more appear in raising him up; so when the Lord hath brought his people into such a low, forlorn condition, that all help and strength seems to be gone, then for him to come in and succor, this advances his glory many ways, the glory of his wisdom, and of his love and of his power, &c. for such causes as these doth God let his Church come to be destitute, before he seems to regard their prayers.

I note this only to this end, that it might teach you all to be charitable Judges of the strange and various administrations of our God towards almost all the Churches in Christendom at this day: indeed if we look upon the state of almost all the Christian world, we cannot but say it is very low: Germany hath now for six or seven and twenty years been an Aceldama, a field of blood; in Ireland the slain not to be numbered, their widows multiplied like the sand of the Sea shore; Scotland been shaken, and harrassed, miserably; and England which hath been as a Garden of God, now is conflicting with the saddest of all judgments, and bleeds and melts away, and sinks deeper into the quick-sands of desolation every day then other; All our Physicians have hitherto proved of no value: no balm yet found to cure our wound, no plaster will as yet cleave to our soar, the storm still increaseth, our Anchors all come home, and we are even at our wits end, and everywhere the displeasure of the Lord seems to be on all the Churches, as if he would bring such a desolation upon them, that affliction should not rise up the second time. Now (beloved) in these deep and deplorable extremities, learn to judge wisely of the state of Christ's Church and people, think it no more strange to see the Church of God tossed and afflicted, then it is to see the Sea tossed with waves, or the lower region to be full of storms, and tempests; but when you do see these things, be you withal assured, that the Lord loves his Church, and all his Saints too dear, to be lavish of any one drop of their blood; he prefers the meanest of his people before all the Kingdoms of the world, and will give them for ransomes for his redeemed ones, he thought it not too much to redeem them with the blood of his own Son; be you therefore fully assured that it is not out of any slighting of them, that these troubles are upon them, but rather that in all these conflicts he hath holy aims, and ends, which it may be we cannot yet dive into; and let us not look too much upon the dark side of the cloud of God's providence, when we cannot see the bottom of his Counsels; let us not hang down despairing hands; Let us be contented that we are of his Court, though we be not admitted to be of his Privy Counsel; and let us set this down for an assured conclusion, That how low soever the Lord brings his people, he will bring them back again from the depth of their miseries; let us in the mean time, as the Prophet said, he would do, Search and try our ways, and be humbled before him, but let us also believe upon plain trust, and wait upon God, who at this day hides his face from the house of Jacob, and let us look for him until he please to return again.

Secondly, As the Lord sometimes makes them destitute before he regards them, so he will regard the prayers of the destitute; this sad title, that they are destitute, is set down here as an argument that God would regard their prayers, which affords us this instruction.

That the prayers of the most forlorn, and despised, and abased, of all God's people, are in the highest regard with him: Whose petitions soever are laid aside, God will be sure to regard and read over the petitions offered up by the desolate, their prayers are most prevalent, and most acceptable with God. I might give you an hundred places, where God saith it expressly, he hears the poor, he regards the despised, he will save the afflicted, he will comfort the distressed, his ears are open to their cry. David, who well understood all the topicks of Prayer, all places from whence any argument might be drawn to prevail with God in prayer, made this his usual argument, Hear me Lord, for I am desolate; attend to my cry, for I am brought very low; hear me speedily, my spirit is overwhelmed; as if he could lay such a claim to be regarded when he was destitute, that God must fail of his word, if he failed then to regard his prayers. And there is good reason why they above all others should have their prayers regarded by God.

Because they pray in their prayers: Prayer is the pouring out of the soul to God; so saith the title of this Psalm, A prayer of the afflicted when he pours out his soul. Now even God's own people, when they have ease and liberty, and are in no straits, it's too ordinary with them to pour out words, when they do not pour out prayers, and to be in a bodily posture of prayer, when the inward man is little affected; they often pray without a heart; but the poor and destitute speak supplications before God, they pour out their soul and spirit, and that is prayer indeed. And secondly.

The destitute and forsaken have no other to fly to but God only, all other succor fails them, and he hath much engaged himself in his Word, never to desert the soul that betakes it self to him; He shall deliver the needy when he crieth, the poor also, and him that hath no helper: Now this forlorn and desolate wretch looks on his right hand, and none will know him, other refuge fails him, no other cares for his soul, he hath only a melting heart, and a mourning eye, and these are fixed upon God alone; and therefore no wonder though he be regarded. And then thirdly,

The desolate, of all others, will value an answer of prayer; let God do anything for a poor forsaken wretch, it's highly prized: any alms to a Beggar at the door, who is ready to starve, if it be but a crust fit for the dogs, yet (I say) to a starving Beggar it's a greatefull thing: When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, when their tongue faileth for thirst, and the Lord pleaseth to open rivers to them in the wilderness, O how acceptable and welcome is it! And fourthly,

God will regard the destitute, because in truth his fatherly bowels know that there is more need that he should succor them, then any other: he hath put those bowels into earthly parents, that if any of them have many children, the sickest, the weakest, the simplest, the most despicable of all the rest, hath the greatest care from the father, and from the tender-hearted mother; among all the test of the children, there is not such an Orator to prevail for themselves or others, as the sickest babe: And even so it is with our good God, he knows the condition of the poor, how everyone treads upon a worm, he well considers, that he who is so weak that he is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lamp despised in the thought of him who is at ease: he knows that few will look to the destitute, unless it be to scorn, despise them, brow-beat them, and turn the back upon them; and therefore he himself will regard them: he commands us to deal our bread to the hungry; to bring the poor, who are cast out, to our house; when we see the naked, that we clothe him; that we draw out our soul to the hungry, and that we satisfy the afflicted soul; yea, he commands his very enemies to regard his outcast and afflicted; let my outcast dwell with thee Moab, be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler; how much more will his own tender bowels yearn towards them?

This also is a lesson of singular comfort to every afflicted soul, to assure them their prayers and supplications are tenderly regarded before God: I have often observed such poor forsaken ones, who in their own eyes are brought very low, that of all other people they are most desirous to beg and obtain the prayers of their friends, when they see any that hath gifts, and peace, and cheerfulness of spirit, and liberty, and abilities to perform duties, O how glad they are to get such a man's prayers! I beseech you, will you pray for me, will you please to remember me at the throne of grace? whereas in truth, if we could give a right judgment, all such would rather desire the poor, and the desolute, to be mediators for them; for certainly, whomsoever God neglects, he will listen to the cry of those that are forsaken and destitute. And therefore, O thou afflicted and tossed with tempests, who thinkest thou art wholly rejected by the Lord, continue to pour out thy soul to him, thou hast a faithful promise from him to be rewarded, he will regard the prayer of the destitute.

Why then do they so long go without their answer? why are they and their prayers destitute?

To this you will have a satisfying answer in the next branch of my Text, which is the aspect that this promise of God's regarding prayer, hath unto the time, when he will do it; when the Lord doth build up Zion, he will then regard the prayer of the destitute.

At another time it may be he seems not to regard them, while he lets Zion lie waste, he seemed to despise their prayers; but when once the time is come, that the Lord will build up Zion, he will then regard the prayer of the destitute; then it shall well appear he will not despise their cry any longer: There you will have a full answer to this doubt, and I conceive these words, not despise, are added purposely to prevent or answer this doubt; poor afflicted ones are ready to suspect God's good will, and to think they are despised, because they have not a speedy answer, but in that day, it shall appear how far God is from it.

And this circumstance of the time, when God regards them, affords us two other notable lessons, which because they are exceeding seasonable, I shall (the Lord assisting me) enlarge my Discourse upon them; whereof the first is this.

That the prayers of God's afflicted people, which may seem for a long time to be slighted, and despised by the Lord, are yet highly regarded by him, and will bring a timely answer.

This I think lies plain in the Text before you in the beginning of the Psalm; There was crying for audience, and that his face might not continue hid, that he would incline his ear, but there was no audience to be obtained; but now when the Lord builds up Zion, he will regard them, he will despise their prayers no longer, that is the first: And in this Lesson there are two branches to be cleared before I come to apply it.

First, That the prayers of God's own servants may for a long time seem to be despised.

Secondly, However they may seem so to be, yet they are highly regarded, and will bring a timely answer.

First, they may seem to be despised: despising, especially from God, is a very sad word, and sinks very deep, it implies three things, which all may betide the prayers of God's own people.

First, A silence in God, a sitting still, taking no notice of their prayers, to let them pour out their souls, and the Lord be as if their prayer never came to his ear; that is one thing in despising, and the best of it so the Church complains, O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and elsewhere, Keep silence no longer, lest if thou be as one that heareth not, I become like unto him that goes down into the pit: very often shall you hear the people of God complaining, that they pray, and pray, and the Lord regarded not; this is very sad, as if a child should lie sick, mourn, and cry to the Mother, and she sit by it, and not so much as cast an eye towards it; enough to break the childes heart; But

Secondly, In despising, there is more and worse, when their prayers are entertained with a distaste and displeasure, expressing a manifest dislike against them; and even that sometimes betides the prayers of God's people; so Asaph complained in the name of the whole Church, How long Lord, wilt thou be angry with the prayer of thy people? And this the Lord sometimes shows, by bringing upon them the very thing which they pray against; as if a Child should beg pardon, and then the Mother take it up, and whip it; when Retro omnia, when all things go cross to their prayers, when they ask bread and God gives them a stone; Job found it so, the very thing that he feared and prayed against, came upon him; Thus also it proved to Israel in Egypt, when they cried to God, because of their burdens, their burdens were increased upon them: but in despising, there is a third thing which is sadder then all this.

Thirdly, Not only silence, or expressing some distaste, but doing this with scorn and indignation; as he did to Miriam, when he spit in her face; so the Lord doth often seem at the prayers of his own people, not only to be angry, but even with scorn to shut the door against them; This Heman felt, Psal. 88. who cried day and night before God, when his Soul was full of trouble, and yet then God vexed him, and afflicted him with all his waves, and seemed to abhor and cast him off; As a man would take an unwelcome guest by the head and shoulders, and turn him out of doors, and bolt them after him; and thus the whole Church of God complains, that she did cry to the Lord, and complained of her sin and sorrow, and the Lord then set her as a But to shoot his Arrows at; and so also Job professed God did unto him, not only bolt the door against his prayer, but when he mourned and complained, the Lord did then take his Arrows of indignation, and shoot at his very heart, and gnashed his teeth upon him; and so did our Savior Christ to the poor woman, when she came and prayed, Lord help me; thou Son of David help me. At first he seemed not to regard her, would not answer, the next time he stayed, and when she had delivered her petition, he called her Dog, to her face; enough to have cut the woman's heart in pieces: This is woeful indeed, this cuts to the quick, and comes near to one of the saddest judgments threatened against his enemies: You shall call and I will not answer, but will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh. So you see the prayers of God's own people may for a long time seem despised: But then the second branch is:

That even then are they highly regarded, and will bring a timely answer. That they are so, I might give you abundance of proof; David observed it in the 31 Psalm, one time he prayed, and God gave him such an answer, that he thought himself despised, I said, (saith he) I am cast out of the sight of God's eyes, when he prayed, God turned him out of his presence, yet follows: Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my prayer, when I called upon thee. And so in Egypt how long did God's people mourn there? and their burdens increasing, it is like they thought God had wholly rejected them, yet God told Moses, Exodus 3. I have heard the cry of my people in Egypt; But this will abundantly clear it, that the prayers of the afflicted are said to be upon God's file, before God, Let these my prayers be nigh unto the Lord night and day, they lie leiger before God, they are called a memorial, they are always in his sight, and he is therefore called in the Scripture, The God hearing Prayer, God hearing Prayer is one of his attributes, hearing is a participle of the present tense, as if you cannot speak to him, under the notion of God, but you must conceive him hearing prayer; hearing the prayers of his people at all times: he is said likewise to remember the prayers of his people, to carry them in his mind, to have them in his thoughts, and which makes all more clear, he hath promised not only to hear, but in the best time to answer them, in an accepted time I have heard thee; The Lord would thereby intimate that hearing is one thing, and answering is another thing, and there often is a distance between them, but all that distance of time, God is but consulting as it were of the fittest opportunity, and the best way to answer the prayers of his people.

The examples are not to be numbered, of the timely answer of such prayers: David in the 22 Psalm in his own name, in the person of Christ, in the name and person of the whole Church, begins with a sad complaint, O my God I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; but in the same Psalm concludes as comfortably, he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he cried unto him he heard. Abraham had long prayed for a son before any answer came, yet when in all probability he had given over praying, he received a full answer: So did Zacharias and Elizabeth, Luk. 1. so did Cornelius, Act. 10. and those slaughtered souls, Rev. 6. who cried, How long Lord, holy and true, &c. at last received a full return. The building of the Temple after the 70 years captivity, was a work long on the wheel, even the time of 7 Princes reign, yet the prayers for the accomplishment and perfecting of it, were all answered and fulfilled in their season, and came (as God promises the return of prayer shall be) like the former and the latter rain in due season. And you will grant that this is so, and must be so, that their prayers must be thus regarded, if you consider but these five things which meet in them.

First, when the afflicted people of God do pour out their prayers to the Lord, they do that which he commands them to do, they have his express commandment to do it, Gall upon me in the day of trouble, now that which God's people do in obedience to his command, cannot be despised by him: it would reflect upon his honor, if duties and performances of his own will should not be regarded.

Secondly, when the afflicted soul prays, God's own Spirit prays in them; for they know not how to pray as they ought, but it is the Spirit of God in them that makes intercession; and however the Lord might be thought to quench the spirit of his poor sinful ones, he will never quench his own spirit, he must needs regard that.

And thirdly, when ever God's people do thus pray, Jesus Christ intercedes for them, as his Spirit makes intercession within them upon earth, so Christ makes intercession for them in heaven; He is the Angel of God's presence; and the Lord cannot but regard that which is presented unto him, by the hand of one whom he always loves. And fourthly,

They themselves are very dear to God, they are infinitely beloved, even those despised ones; he hath none in heaven or earth dearer to him, then his afflicted ones are: This argument Christ himself uses to assure them their Prayers will be regarded; in the 16. of John, You shall ask in my name (said he) and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father himself loveth you: when you come to pray to him, you come not as to an enemy; and though I be your Mediator, it is between you and a friend, not between you and an enemy, My Father loves you dearly: we that are evil can give good things to our Children, because we love them; how much more will our heavenly Father do it? This argument our Savior also presseth most sweetly in the parable of the unrighteous Judge, who through importunity did right to a poor Widow, and shall not God much more do it for his Elect ones, his beloved ones? And fifthly,

He hath engaged himself by innumerable promises, to the poor, the desolate, and the afflicted, that they shall be answered by him, Call upon me, and I will answer thee, in an accepted time I will answer thee; many a time hath God engaged himself for it; and he that commands his own servants, if they look for his favor, that they keep their promises, though it be to their hindrance, though it should be to an enemy; certainly himself will never alter the thing, the word that is come out of his mouth, to them who are so dear to him, as his Saints are; and therefore their prayers must needs be before him: But it may be demanded, Why then do they seem to be despised? and why doth the Lord defer to answer them?

I Answer, First, God doth not always defer them; sometimes before they call he doth answer them, and while they are speaking he doth hear; and as Abraham's servant noted of himself, even while he was praying Rebekah came: so have many of God's servants found; so did Daniel, as soon as he had done praying, about the time of the Evening Sacrifice, the Angel Gabriel being caused to fly swiftly, brought him a gracious answer, and told him that in the beginning of his supplication he received his answer: sometimes the harvest overtakes the seed-time; especially, when their prayers are offered up when God's appointed time is come, or when their need is instant and extreme, when the fluctus decumanus, when the tenth and terrible wave is ready to overwhelm them, he gives them leave to say, Hear me speedily, and he will not fail them: when Peter is ready to sink, he no sooner cries Lord save me, but Christ presently gives him his helping and saving hand.

But, secondly, it is not always ask and have, after asking must be seeking and knocking, and seeking and knocking again; and when it is so, God defers them for two excellent ends: The one is his own glory, the other is the good of his people.

First, his own glory is exceedingly advanced by it; for in dealing after this manner he doth assert; First, his own Sovereignty in dispensing his mercies, so as it may appear that it belongs to him to dispose of things and times at his own pleasure. You know great Lord's and Princes make it a great part of their Sovereignty, to have Suiters wait upon them; and it is the great glory of the Lord Jehovah to have his people lie long before him, with their petitions in their hands: and withal it asserts his free-Grace, it manifests, that whenever he doth answer the prayers of his people, that it is free favor, were it their due; his Justice would not let him keep the laborers hire an hour from him; he commands us not to do it, but that we may know that all is free, he will have us wait his leisure; And thirdly,

Herein he likewise manifests his own wisdom, that he can and will make both the prayers of his people, and his answers to them, when they come together, each of them appear beautiful in their season, that as his wisdom is manifested in giving them an heart to pray in their season: so you shall see it manifested, in giving his answer in his best season. But besides, in the second place,

Hereby he doth marvelous good unto his people who thus wait upon him. For, first,

He doth hereby prepare them for their answer. And secondly,

He thereby prepares the answer to be the better for them.

First, he prepares them to be the fitter for an answer: he trains them up in these three or four excellent things, while he seems to despise their prayer. First,

Hereby they grow marvailously dexterous in the art of prayer, he teaches them to pray by suspending his answer to prayer; you shall find in the Scripture, that those men, who have been the greatest wrastlers with God, have been such, whom God hath longest put off, before he hath answered them; Heman, and David, and Hannah, and I know not how many of them that have offered up most soul ravishing prayers, were such as have prayed till their throats have been dry, and their voice hoarse, and complained from years end to years end; God hereby makes them skillful, and excellent Artists at it. And then, Secondly,

Hereby doth the Lord train them up in humility; there is nothing in the world humbles a Soul more, then to be long mourning before the Lord for a mercy, and the Lord not to relieve him in it; nor is any Soul so fit for anything, as an humble Soul; David that had been long without his Kingdom, when he came to have it, could say, O Lord, my Soul is like a weaned child, and very vile and base in his own eyes: by being long delayed, they come to be privy to the wickedness of their own hearts; even as a horse that hath any infirmity, he will show it in a long journey; a leg that hath any imperfection will discover it in a long walk, and so will the secret corruptions of our hearts discover themselves when God delays us, hereby we shall discover the pride, murmuring, discontent, self-ishnesse, and what ever else is naught in our spirits, and thereby come to be made wondrous low in our own eyes: and Thirdly,

Hereby the Lord likewise trains them up both in Faith and Hope: he hereby exerciseth; and thereby increaseth both these excellent Graces in them. Thus was it with Abraham, Rom. 4. Thus with the poor woman, Mat. 15. Thus with Paul, 2 Cor. 1. brought even to despair of life, brought under the sentence of death, that he might learn to trust and hope in God. Thus Isaiah, in the name of the whole Church, Isaiah 8. and innumerable others, have learned both to believe and wait, when God hath seemed to hide his face from them. And then, Secondly,

By this long delaying of them, as he fits them the better for the answer; so he fits his answer the better for them, for then is the mercy always both the greater, and the sweeter: great ships that go long voyages, before they come home, are usually most richly laden; an Oak is long growing, but proves a great tree, and long-lived, whereas a Gourd which grows up in a night, in another night is smitten with a worm and dieth; a blessing that is long a coming, is ordinarily a great one when it doth come; The Lord makes the mercy the sweeter when it comes. Isaac that hath been begging many a year, when he comes, he is an Isaac, a Son of laughter; When Hannah had long wept for a Child, when he comes, he is a Samuel, and he proves a very sweet child to her; Solomon was a child of tears, a son of his Mothers vows, but was a pleasant Child indeed; so was John the Baptist, to his Parents, who were past children before he was born: much prayer, many tears laid out for a mercy before it comes, are all abundantly repaid in the greatness and sweetness of it, when it doth come, Hope deferred, maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. But whether I have answered the case of Conscience fully, or no, sure I am, the Lesson is most plain, that though God may seem to despise his people's prayers, they are all before him; and will bring an answer in due time.

This is a most comfortable Doctrine.

And I shall only make a comfortable use of it in two Branches. .

The one is to ourselves, in respect of our present distresses. This present lesson may more refresh and establish our hearts, in assurance of a good issue in this great work wherein we are engaged, then a million of Gold, or the assistance of a potent Army. We have a huge conflict, we grapple with enemies, that are strong, wise, vigilant, that are many, who have all the Antichristian, and Malignant part of the Christian world joined with them; and besides all this, I am persuaded, we now grapple with the revenging hand of God, for the sins which this Nation hath lien in, this hundred years; God doth now remember them, and visits the Kingdom for them, the idolatry, the blood, the Apostasy, and innumerable other evils, and abominations, our troubles are very great, and the event may seem very difficult, and doubtful; but let me tell you, here is that, may counterpoise all, and support us against all discouragements, and make us comfortably conclude of a good issue; We shall over-master all that are against us, we shall over-match them, because the spirit and power of prayer is on our side; we have had (these three or four years especially) the spirit of prayer poured out, (I am persuaded) in the greatest measure that hath been, since the Apostles of Christ lived upon earth; and our prayers have not been in vain, though the full return be not yet made, we have had the first fruits, many a sweet in-come we have had already; But know (Honorable and beloved) they are all filed up before God, there is not one of them lost; they will bring another manner of return then yet they have done. And not our prayers only, but the prayers of all the Christian world are before God in our behalf, our cause is God's, the work we are engaged in is the building up of Zion, and therefore there is not a good man in the world, no not at Oxford, who prays, Thy Kingdom come, but prays for us, who are indevouring the raising up of Christ's Kingdom; now these prayers are all before God, and must bring a comfortable answer in due time; Nay, this comfort reaches yet further, not only we that are now alive, and our prayers, but all the Worthies who are now with God, their Prayers pray for us; Though we must say of them as the Church did of Abraham, they know us not; they are ignorant of our condition, yet their prayers which they offered up while they were on earth, and longed to see this work proceed, are now really assistant to us; Daniel and Jeremiah did as really build the Temple and City, as Zerubbabel, and Nehemiah, though they were dead long before; That look as the blood of the Martyrs cried for vengeance from Abel to Zacharias, and thereby reach a present persecuting generation; so the prayers of those who loved Zion, do bless and reach all the workmen now employed in the rearing up of the Church, their prayers speak as Abel's Faith did when he was dead, and rotten, insomuch that I may confidently conclude, that the two Houses of Parliament, and our Armies (as unworthy as we are) are daily carried upon the wings of many millions of prayers, that have been offered up to God these many years, they are all before God night and day; God is only waiting the fit time; and therefore, I beseech you bear up your spirits against all other discouragements, the Lord will in the most accepted time let you know, that all that have ever said to him, Lord, remember England; Lord, purge thy Church in England; Lord, set it up there; down with Prelacy; stablish Liberty; make way for Christ; they are all before God, and must prevail; and therefore certainly our comfort may be greater, ten to one, then our discomfort need be, though all the Nations of the world were sworn against us: You shall, God willing, have more of this before I dismiss you, let this taste suffice at the present. And Secondly,

It is also a most comfortable lesson to poor, afflicted, dejected spirits, who mourn and wrestle with God for their own distresses: There may be many such in this Assembly this day, who pray every day, it may be with David seven times in a day, ten times in a day, but the heart sinks for want of an answer; as wicked men think, they shall never be reckoned with for their sins, because divine vengeance seems to sleep, so do poor souls conceive that because God at present seems to slight them, he will never regard them.

I have oft heard many a sad soul lament after this manner: Did but God hear my prayers, did he but accept me, I would with David, call upon him as long as I did live, might but my prayer come up before him, and be looked upon; but to be thus as a despised reed, a scorned poor creature, (as I confess I deserve to be) this daunts my soul, that I dare not pray, I am even ready to give over; O (saith the sad heart) I beg mercies, and I taste wrath, I beg grace, and I feel corruption, I beg ease, and I endure torment, I beg love, and I find displeasure, all goes backwards; God casts my prayer out, shuts it out from him, and this, this wounds the soul; let me to such a sad soul speak a few comfortable words from the Lord; I take this for granted, that the things thou dost beg, are according to God's will; thou darest not beg an unlawful thing; I take it also for granted, that thou that dost call upon God, dost endeavor to depart from iniquity, that thou darest not call upon the name of God, and walk in sinful ways, but thou wouldest be his servant; and I likewise take it for granted, that thou dost not expect or desire audience for any ones sake, but for Christ Jesus thy Savior, to whom thou lookest; this I hope God witnesses with thee: Why, if so, then it seems the only evil that oppresses thy spirit, is, God doth not answer thee, he doth not give thee such a return of thy prayer, as thou desirest: But know thou, God's answering of thy prayer must not be measured by thy sad apprehensions, but by his own word, which word assures me that all thy prayers are before God night and day; and for his present answering of thee, it is no token of his displeasure, that he does not give thee a sudden answer; his forbearance is no denial, the best of all his Saints have cried and prayed, till their throat hath been dry, and God hath seemed not to answer: David had prayed long for an answer, Psal. 69. 3. when he complained, He was weary of his crying, his throat was dry, his eyes failed while he did wait for his God. The whole Church long sought him whom her soul loved, and found him not; and Paul thrice, that is, many times besought God to remove the messenger of Satan, which was sent to buffet him, and was fain to wait still, so that thou art not alone in being thus delayed: Nay, I tell thee further, God hath many ways of regarding and answering Prayer; Sometimes he may regard a prayer, which he absolutely denies, when the thing would not be good for him that begs it; So he peremptorily denied Moses his prayer to go into the Land of Canaan; But if the thing be good, and according to his will, deferring of it, is no denying of it; if in the mean time, while before God answer thee, he vouchsafe to uphold thy heart by his Spirit, as he did David's, Psal. 73. 22. I was as a beast before thee, nevertheless thou upholdest me by thy right hand. If he now and then dart in a beam of love, which is as the fire from Heaven to assure thee thou art accepted, if he stablish thee, nay, if he do but draw thy heart out to continue to pray to him, if he make thy Soul more humble, and vile in thy own eyes, if he more wean thee from the creature, and train thee up to wait upon him, truly (friend) it is ten thousand times better, then all the time that thou spendest, thou hast a large recompense in God's doing thus much for thee; this is to be preferred before thousands of gold and silver: but I tell thee more, not one of thy suites will be lost, no they are all before God, he reads them over every day, and what thou hast been begging this seven years, this twenty years, he daily remembers them, and in his heart answers them all; Whatever thou hast sown in tears, thou shalt reap in joy; be content, though at present thou seest nothing but darkness, do as Elia's servant did, who went seven times to look for rain, till the seventh time he saw nothing, and then but a very little, yet that little soon proved a great deal.

It may be thou shalt not see the answer a great while; possibly not till thy death come; Old Simeon a good gracious man had many years begged of God, that he might see his Salvation, yet he never got Christ in his arms, till he was ready to depart the world, then he got his full answer; so it may be when thou comest to die, thou shalt have hosts of answers stand round about thee, nay, peradventure the greatest returns of thy prayers shall be when thou art dead and rotten in thy grave; what thou hast begged for God's Church, thy prayers shall produce it, when thou art gone; what thou hast begged for thy husband, wife and children, it may be God will give thee the greatest return of them when thou hast no being in this world; and for thyself while thou livest, when it may be, thy heart is dull, and thou art unfit for prayer, and canst not pray; the quickening prayers which thou didst offer up many years ago, God is then remembering them, when peradventure thou fearest he is taking advantage of thy present dullness and distemper.

Therefore go thy ways on, and wait upon him, treasure up thy suits, be it against corruption, against temptation, for thy Family, for the Church, wait God's time, the vision is for an appointed time, it will come in the end, that is certain; every tear, every sigh, every short ejaculation, is continually before him, he hath a bottle for thy tears, as well as a bag for wicked men's sins, a treasury for thy prayers, as well as for their blasphemies: let his present answer be what it will, believe anything of him rather then a rejecting of the supplications of the poor who seek him in his Sons name, he hath promised it, and is faithful and cannot deny himself.

Another thing I observe from this circumstance the time when, the time of regarding them, is, when he builds up Zion, and that affords us another lesson as seasonable for this present auditory, viz.

That when the Lord doth build up his Church, he doth then answer all his afflicted people's prayers. Sometimes God will not be prayed to, or if he do, his answer shall be, wait a while; but when he builds up Zion, then the Lord answers his people's prayers, then he sits in his Court of Request to hear petitions, then he holds out his golden Scepter to every poor supplicant.

There are three things that God is laid in the Scripture to remember when he builds the Church; He then remembers his enemies, when the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven, then great Babylon comes into mind before God, that she may be repaid: then secondly, God uses to remember his Covenant, he remembered for them his Covenant; and thirdly, then also doth God remember the prayers of his people, and this God willing I shall make good to you, for the truth of it, you shall find it fully expressed in the 29. of Jeremiah 10. 11. speaking of the time when he would bring them back to build the Temple, then (saith the Lord) shall you call upon me, and I will answer you; then, it may be, now he would not, but then I will answer you; then you shall seek me with your whole heart, and you shall find me: so in the 25. of Isaiah, in the day that God builds up his Church for that is the great promise of that Chapter, the Prophet tells you that his people should then sing a song of praise, whereof this is one part, Loe, this is our God, we have waited for him, loe, this is our God, and he hath saved us; we have waited, that is, we have prayed, and attended his leisure, now we have an answer of all. To make this lesson more clear I shall endeavor to clear these two things.

First, when the Lord doth build up Zion, he doth then remember the particular wants, the particular requests, which his Saints have offered up to him; the Lord casts it so, as to make Zion's refreshing time, concurrent with the relieving of the wants of his particular people, that as in executing of vengeance, when he is to execute vengeance upon a nation, he will remember particular malefactors, what they have done in their persons; so when he comes to build up his Church, he remembers the particular fuites, that his holy ones have offered up to him; and of this I could give you many testimonies; In that day he will let every prisoner out of prison, he will bind up the wounds of every wounded soul; he will make the blind to see, the lame to walk, the deaf to hear; In that day, in the 31 of Jeremiah, the Lord will satiate every weary soul, and replenish every sorrowful soul, in that day when the Lord erects his new Jerusalem, there shall be a tree of life, the leaves of it shall heal the diseases of all the Nations; In that day he gives strength to the needy in his distress, a shadow from the storm, then he strengthens weak hands and confirms feeble knees, then every wilderness is filled with pools of water, then Christ will pour out abundance of his Spirit, as David at his Coronation remembered all his friends, and dealt to all the people everyone a bottle of Wine: So the Lord at that day delights to make their personal comforts join with the public and Common weal of his Church and Kingdom. This is one way how this Doctrine is true, that then the Lord regards the prayers of his people, when he builds up Zion. But the second is the main.

Secondly, The Lord doth then answer the prayers of his people, when he builds up Zion, because in truth the building up of Zion, is the all in all, of all his people's prayers; that is, as Solomon saith, Money answers all; so whatsoever particular suites God's people have offered up, the building up of Zion hath been such a request, that the answering of that, answers all others; whatsoever he denies them, it skills not, they have enough, they are abundantly satisfied, they will clear all books, and break all Tallies with God, they will give in all other bills whatsoever, if this be but done; that this is so, observe I beseech you, wheresoever in the Scripture you read of the prayers of God's people, (as by the way, you shall hardly read of any godly man, but you shall read of his prayer) you will find that the strain and the stream of all their prayers runs for Zion, read Moses his prayers, Joshuas prayers, go on to David, to Solomon, to Ezra, to Nehemiah, and the several Prophets; read all their prayers, and you shall find that Zion is the bulk of them all; In thy good pleasure do good to Zion; and though there are many particular suites to themselves, yet what they beg to themselves, is only begged as a means, but when they beg for Zion, they beg it as an end: Thy Kingdom come, to God's people, is next to Hallowed be thy name; It is more to them then all the rest of the Lord's Prayer, Give us our daily bread, Forgive us our trespasses, Lead us not into temptation, Deliver us from evil: They are all inferior to Thy Kingdom come; the building up of God's Church, is that which hath swayed all with the Saints in all their prayers; And it must be so, it can be no otherwise with true godly men, if you consider either the relation that the Church hath to God, or that which they have to the Church.

First, that of the Church, to Christ, it is his Love, his Dove, his Fair one, his Spouse, his Jewell, that which he hath laid all his own glory upon; one to whom he stands in all relations, which argues intimative dearness, and tenderness, whatever is done to them, is done to himself, Ye did it to them, therefore ye did it to me. The Churches cause is his; Her rising is his glory, her reproach is his dishonor: Arise, O Lord, plead thy own cause, remember how the foolish people reproach thee, forget not the voice of thy enemies, when the Synagogues of the Church was pulled down, when the Church was wasted; And to themselves likewise, it is their Mother, in whose womb they have lain, whose breasts they have sucked, it is the Magazine wherein all their treasure is laid up, a vessel wherein all their wealth sinks and swims, if the Church be safe they are safe, and no thought of safety if it miscarry; salva Ecclesia salva omnia, as they were wont to say of Rome, Salva Roma, salva patria, salva omnia; so next unto God the Church is their all, and therefore the building up of Zion, the welfare of the Church of God, must needs be the answer to all their prayers. Give me leave to present you with a twofold Use of this Lesson, and then I hasten to that which I chiefly intended.

First, this Lesson may serve to every of you for one of the greatest discoveries of your own spirits that can be, whether in truth your hearts be right with God? think how you could answer this one question, Would the Lord's building up of the Church, the settling and establishing of Religion in purity and peace, would that be to thy soul the answer of all thy prayers? art thou able to say it before God, Build but up Zion and I have enough? No man under heaven can say it but a Saint, and there is not a Saint upon earth but may say it, I know it lies in the bottom of his soul. But how shall we know it? I will give you but one way of trial; If the welfare of Zion, the building up of the Church be the sum of all thy prayers, then it is likewise the sum of all thy endeavors, thy studies, thy time, thy wit, thy parts, thy interest, what ever may be called thine, are mainly laid out in promoving, in helping forward the welfare of Zion. This you shall find clear in the book of God, that as all the prayers of God's people run upon Zion's welfare, so now (I say) in the second place, all the endeavors of all that prayed for Zion run to help it forward, Zion was the sum of all their prayers, and of all their joys, and cares; no joy to them, like the joy they had in the prosperity of Zion, when the Lord at any time turned back the captivity of his people, they were like men that dreamed, their mouth was filled with laughter, and their tongue withjoy; and no sorrow like that which was caused by the affictions of Jacob, then they would even die with grief, then they would name their children Ichabod, then they would mourn and not be comforted; and consequently all they had or could contribute was most readily afforded. The Prophets and Apostles cold preach as well as pray, and all their Sermons were for Zion; Kings could plot, project, counsel, &c. as well as pray, all their plots and projects were to build up Zion; Soldiers could fight as well as pray, all their wars were the wars of God; Rich men could lay out money as well as pray, all their wealth was a Sacrum to God, a devoted thing to him, when the Church needed it, their penny went as willingly as their Pater noster: other learned men, if any man could write histories, if any Poet could make songs, all was laid our about the Church, about furthering the welfare of it; or if any were found among them who would profess love to it, and join in prayer for it, yet mind their own affairs, build their own houses, and let God's house lie wast, they are branded for degenerate, hypocritical, ignoble spirits, These were the Potters, and those who dwelt among hedges, there they dwelt with the King for his work; a base people, who would tarry in Babylon to get wealth, and not go up with their brethren to build the house of God; and even thus may we judge of ourselves. And therefore I say to you, Honorable Senators, that are Noble-men and Gentlemen engaged in this great work, the present service you are called to, if really you do make the building of Zion to be the answer of your prayers, it is the great Parliament project this day, to settle the Church; I know when Nehemiah's work was to build the walls of Jerusalem, one half of his servants were fain to carry the Arms while the other built, and many times those that built were fain to have a sword in one hand, as well as a trowoll in the other hand, but the swords and atmes were to defend the trowell, the work of the trowell was the great project: So will it be with you, you will with that Emperor, Ezra 6. 7, 8. provide that all things shall be provided speedily and care fully for this house of God, that government be settled, Ministers provided, encouraged, maintained, the Sacraments and other Ordinances kept pure, and not be at quiet till the Cap-stone be sot upon the head of this building. I know Armies must be provided for, and Garrisons secured, yet they will be looked upon but as meaner; Religion, the establishing of it, will be the end, yea your Liberties will be but as means, Religion will be the Cap-stone, the Creame, and Oile, which swims on the top of all, if your hearts be but right with God: Therefore (I beseech you) consider in secret what answer you could make, whether you can call in your souls to witness, that after all your combustions, labors, & losses, if God would but establish England a beautiful habitatien, the people made holy, that the Lord might own them, and the three Nations joined in a Covenant might be one stick in the hand of the Lord, in a holy, plous, religious way, that the flocks might have everyone their shepherd, and the glory of God the defense on every congregation; if for these things you sweat, and toile, and care, it is an evident token your hearts are right with God.

And if any of you, the rest of the Assembly, do make account that the building of Zion is the answers of all your prayers, then if it have your prayer it will have your penny, you will go, ride, run, and travel, and nothing will stick with you, if this be your main suit: Indeed in the true notion and interpretation of prayer, it is nothing but the craving of God's blessing upon our endeavors in those things which he hath appointed us to do, toward the obtaining of any mercy, we little better then mock him, if we only pray, and set not our shoulder to the wheel. And were this carried close to men's consciences, how sadly would it speak to many, who can abundantly satisfy themselves with joining in a few dry prayers for the Church, and in the mean while they grudge the bestowing of any other cost? they can find work enough to build their own houses, and drive on their own projects, let God (if he please) take care to build his house, and do his own work himself; let all such hypocrites know, that God will indeed do his work without them, and their formal prayers will return, not with comfort into their bosoms, but with vengeance upon their heads. But much more sadly doth it speak against those, whose lives and subtle machinations retard this work, who to their utmost hinder the work of reformation, and would not have it go on, for fear their lusts should be yoked, and yet set out Prayers, and themselves seem to join with them, that God would build up Zion; this is most abominable hypocrisy. I remember I have read of one of the Emperors of Germany, that had taken the Pope prisoner, who commanded throughout the Empire solemn prayers to be made to God for the Popes deliverance out of prison, and he himself kept him in prison at the same time: so these wretched men say, O pray for the peace of Zion, pray that God would build up Zion, and themselves waste it, some by their wicked lives, others by their pernicious counsels, some by their lusts, some for fear the Word of God and Ordinances should yoke them; they pretend to build the walls of it, and yet endeavor to undermine the foundations of it: God in mercy grant that no such be found among ourselves; but if in truth this be our great care, and study, and endeavor, to see the work go forward, that we count nothing of ours so well disposed of, as what is cast into this common treasury, it speaks the heart indeed to be right with God.

Is it so, that when God builds up Zion he answers all his people's prayers, even their private prayers, as well as this great one? then (I beseech you) let this move everyone of you to help forward this work, even out of holy self-love; you do not know what a watered Garden God may make your soul and family, when he builds up his Church. Certainly, if a man were sure not to get any good to his own soul, yet if he might see the prosperity of Zion and Jerusalem, he should think it a very blessed sight; so thought he who penned the 106 Psalm, Remember me, O Lord, with the favor thou bearest unto thy people, that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice with the gladness of thy Nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance: So thought John the Baptist, though he was sure he should decrease when Christ did increase, yet to him it was the fulfilling of his joy, to see the people flow in unto Christ, when (as the Bridegrooms friend) he could hear the Bride-groomes voice rejoicing with his Bride: But, which is more, thy peace shall be concurrent with Zion's peace, the Lord will satiate every afflicted soul, in the day when he refreshes Zion; let this therefore draw out all your hearts and bowels. Remember an argument God uses in the 29 of Jeremy, to them that were captives in Babylon, Seek the peace of the City whither I have caused you to be carried captives, and pray unto the Lord for it, for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace▪ What, must they pray for Babylon's peace? for Nebuchadnezzar's peace? that like a Dragon had swallowed them, and like a Lion had crushed their bones? Yes, pray for the peace of that kingdom, because in the peace of that Kingdom you shall have peace. O how much more should everyone help forward Zion's peace, thy mothers peace, the Spouse of Christ's peace, because thy soul shall never have so much grace, thou shalt never be so holy, thy children never so blessed, all about thee never made so happy, as when the Lord God shall build up Zion; therefore O pray for the Peace of Zion, they shall all prosper who love her, as he said there, For my brethren and companions sake, I will now say, Peace be within thee: So say thou, for my own sake, for my children and companions sake, I will seek to do thee good: especially let it prevail with you, Honorable and Beloved, you noble Patriots and Parliament men, further it with all your might, Go up into the mountain, cut down wood, build the house, that God may take pleasure in it, and prove God, whether upon yourselves and families he pour not out a blessing without measure: you little imagine what a blessing the Lord will give, when once this work is done; it may shatter and hazard some things, carnal friends and secret enemies may fall off from you, but your labor will be rewarded abundantly. I humbly commend this to your wisdoms and faithfulness, God hath called you to this work, it would be your great glory to have it done in your hands, and it would not be for your honor to have it done by other hands, but done it will be, I assure you, the Church will be reformed; If you should altogether neglect it, sit still and hold your peace, or if you should make but a half work of it, a patched reformation, help and deliverance will come from some other place: No stone great enough could be laid in the mouth of Christ's sepulcher to keep him from rising, nor can any power prevent the building of Zion, when the appointed time is come, no not though all the Nations of the earth should be gathered together against it, The remnant of Jacob shall be as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the Sons of men; the work is upon the wheels, and there is one engine at work that will effect it, if all others fail, and that is the spirit of Prayer; which what efficacy it hath for the building of Zion, will appear in the last branch of my Text.

And that is the matter wherein God will regard their prayer, When the Lord builds up Zion, he will regard the prayer of the destitute, that is, hereby it shall appear, that he regards their prayer, because at their prayer he will do it; it shall be done as the fruit and effect of his people's prayers: which affords us this Doctrine.

That the Lord will have the building of Zion, the reforming, and repairing of the Church, to be the fruit of his people's prayers; this is the main scope, then God regarded their Prayers, when he makes all the world know that at their request, and for their prayers sake, he did now arise in glory to build up Zion; the truth of this excellent lesson will appear, even to a demonstration, if you please but briefly to consider these three things:

First, God's Providences speak it so. Secondly, and so do his Commands. And Thirdly, his Promises.

First, His Providences speak it; there are two Providences of God, use to appear at the building of Zion; which alone were sufficient to show that Prayer is the great builder on our part, that it is indeed all that we can do; God usually lets it come to such irrecoverable ruin, that nothing we can do, besides prayer, is able to do anything, that it may appear that on our part prayer doth all, Nil nisi vota supersunt. When all other Anchors are come home, when all other Cables are brok, when all other friends have forsaken, and all props snapped apeeces, that either prayer must do it, or they have nothing; that is the time he ordinarily chooses to build up Zion, as himself said Deut. 32. When he saw their strength was gone, there was none shut up or left, who might be a helper, then he himself would judge his people and repent h • m for his servants. So when they were as a woman with child, near the time of delivery, the children come to the birth, and no strength to bring forth, not any in the earth to be a deliverer, then they cry unto the Lord, and he delivers them; this is so plentifully to be found in the Scripture, that I may forbear (especially in these straights of time) to produce particular instances.

Secondly, The other providence is this:

That when God builds up Zion, he then uses to pour out the Spirit of Prayer upon his people, more then at any other times, he then fills them with his Spirit, which inclines their hearts to be vehement, and earnest with him for that very thing. Zephyrus vere flat, this gale never blows so sweetly as at such times, Jer. 29. Then you shall pray, and I will answer; In that day he pours out the Spirit of supplication and mourning upon all his people; Then he makes all his people say with them, Esa. 62. 1. For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, and for Hierusalems sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And this is so sure a note of it, that God's people durst make Prophetical conclusions out of the Spirit of Prayer poured out, as in this very Psalm, The time to deliver her, the set time is come; How know you that? Thy servants pity the dust of it, thy servants are weeping and mourning before thee; therefore the time of Zion's deliverance is come; take all the times of building the Church, and you shall see that great builders have been great praying men; Moses the great builder could fall down before God forty days and forty nights together; David, Solomon, Elias, Ezra, Nehemiah, all their prayers built more then their hands did; Luther a mighty man in it, and the Ministers who joined with him, indefatigable and potent in prayer; yea, the Spirit of Prayer uses to ebb and flow in the Church, according as God purposes to retard, or hasten the work of the building of the Church; insomuch as the Spirit of God, drawing out the hearts of his people, to do that which he would have done, doth Prophesy or foretell what God means to do.

There uses to be such a concord and harmony between God's secret purposes and his people's Prayers, their prayers as such expressions of his sacred will, that they even seem to decree a thing by Prayer, and God establishes it in Heaven: the prayers of God's people for the building of Zion, is as a John the Baptist before Christ, only makes way for him, as the Morning star, which assures you the morning is at hand: Now these two Providences, God's doing it at such a time, as they have nothing left but prayer, and this pouring out the Spirit of prayer at that time, do sufficiently tell us, that God will have prayer to be the great Builder on our part.

Secondly, His Commands speak it as plainly; this is a good rule in Divinity; Look whatsoever God Almighty commands us chiefly to do in reference or relation to such a work, that would he have us look upon as the great instrument on our part, to effect it: as when God commands us to believe, for the forgiveness of sins, you may thence conclude that Faith is the great instrument of our Justification; So when God commands us to attend upon the word, for our Spiritual life, for our comfort, for our edification, you may boldly conclude, that the ministry of the Word, is to be the great instrument of all these things; And therefore because God above all that we can do, commands that his people should pray for the building of Zion, you may conclude that he will have prayer the great instrument on their part, for the building of it. And God hath abundantly enjoined his people that they call upon him for it; You shall call upon me, Jeremiah 29. Then you shall call upon me, and I will do it at your call; and the 36 of Ezekiel; All this will I do, (saith God) but for all this, you shall pray to me, I will be sought at your hands for them; So again, Psal. 122. Oh pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and Jer. 51. 50. Let Jerusalem come into your mind, and Esa. 62. You that make mention of the Lord, give him no rest till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. And then▪

Thirdly, His Promises are innumerable, he hath said directly, when they do pray for it, he will not fail to perform it to them; then you shall call, and I will answer, and then, you shall seek me, and I will be found of you, saith the Lord, Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, They shall prosper. 1 King. 8. 46. If God's people be carried away captive, &c. and in their bondage pray to him, he will hear, he will return them, His eyes shall be open night and day, to their supplication, to hearken unto them in all that they call for. Insomuch that by virtue of these promises, which God hath made to prayer, for the building of Zion, we may conclude a kind of Omnipotency in prayer; because it can rule that hand that is Omnipotent; Prayer can wrestle with God, and by his own strength prevail over him, and (with reverence we speak it) he cannot stand before the power of it, he could not waste his Church unless Moses would give over praying, Let me alone that I may destroy them, and when he would not let him alone, he yielded to him. And therefore himself saith, if it concern my Sons and Daughters, command me, ask me anything. The time would fail, and I might weary you with delight, to tell you what admirable effects prayer hath had in this kind, what Armies it hath overthrown, what unexpected blessings it hath seasonably brought in, what dry bones it hath raised, what weak builders it hath helped, when they have been reforming the Church; how it hath stayed the Sun, turned the Sea backward, chained Kings and their Nobles, with fetters of iron; There is nothing that the hand of God can do, but when the spirit stirs his people to pray, in relation to the Church, all shall be done; insomuch as it is noted of Luther, that when once in great danger, God poured upon him, and the rest of his company, a spirit to pray instantly and fervently, when they had done praying, he cried out, Vicimus, we have got the day; for he knew that God was engaged; so that if you lay these things together, the Providences of God ordering it so, that there uses to be no other means left but prayer, and furnishing them with abundance of the spirit of prayer, and commanding them to use it, and engaging himself to do it, you may boldly conclude that the Lord will have prayer the great means of the Churches building.

Now if you demand, Why, or wherefore is it that prayer should be able to do so much?

I answer, The truth is, it is God alone doth all, and he takes none in to help him, propter indigentiam, but propter mun-ficentiam, it is not for his need, but for his glory, that he will have any helpers: Now besides all you hear before, concerning the prayers of the afflicted, that it is God's Spirit prays in them, and they are his Children, and Christ their Mediator, and his promises are made to them, I say, besides all these, there are two other great Reasons, why God hath made over the building of the Church, unto Prayer; so far as the Creature shall have anything to do with it.

One is, because this way only is suitable with his glory, he cannot take any to be partners with him in any work, with preservation of his own Majesty and glory, save only humble supplicants, any partner but prayer would lessen him; But this well-becomes the Majesty and greatness of God to take in such helpers.

For first, it magnifies his free grace wonderfully, that he will please to do it, when his partners in the work shall not be able to plead anything they have contributed, but tears and supplications; And whereas some demand whether freegrace would not be more magnified, if God did it without prayer?

I Answer, God's free grace is many ways manifested, and magnified in his regarding of his people's prayers, sometimes his free grace prevents our prayers, vouchsafing us what we never prayed for or thought of, He doth above what we are able to ask or think, sometimes in exceeding our prayers, He asked life of thee, and thou gavest him length of days forever and ever, Solomon asked wisdom, and God gave him wisdom, riches, and honor, sometimes he as much magnifies his free grace in crossing our prayers. So he did Moses in his suite to go over Jordan, and Paul's in being delivered from the messenger of Satan, it being best for them both to be denied. But oftentimes God manifests and magnifies his free grace more, by doing it at the prayers of his people, then if he did it without them; because he doth thereby show his free grace as well to their requests, as to their need; As if a friend should supply my need, it is a great favor, but if he will please to show his love to my petition, as well as his compassion to my need, it is a double favor; So God shows a double free grace, when he is pleased to let such a great work be done at the request of poor contemptible sinners, that are fit for nothing but death and destruction. With men (it may be) he who asks oft and long for such things as men can give, pays very dear for them, but it is not so betwixt God and man: the least favor which God can give (though granted upon long suite) must needs be acknowledged a free favor to such ill-deserving creatures as we are, and to have his favors conveyed in a way of prayer, no ways derogates from the freeness of the mercy, especially because our prayers are so weak and poor, and the mercies of God (especially this of building up of Zion) so great, that I cannot say whether he be a more silly or proud fool, that will not confess that God casts in the mercy gratis, though he have cast in his prayers: yea, that the mercy is the greater, when it is done with any respect to his supplications.

And then besides, God provides for his glory herein for time come; for you shall find, the Lord is wonderful jealous of using any instruments, who will be prone to come to share with him in his glory; he loves not to set such instruments a work, as will engrave their own name into the work that shall be erected: and therefore when Gideon had an Army of two and thirty thousand, I will not use these, (saith God) they will be like enough to say, Our own hand hath saved us; He will have such instruments of whom he will be sure they shall not offer to lay claim to his glory; Now brethren) God is wholly confident of Prayer, that it will never undermine him in his glory, he hath no jealousy of it; but what he doth to the weeping eye, and the mourning heart, at their humble request, when they have got the thing, all the glory which they will desire is, to come back again, and cry, Grace, Grace, all was grace, all was favor. Thus praying David, when he had dedicated one thousand three hundred cart load of silver and gold, toward the building of God's house, all the glory he took to himself, was but to admire God's goodness in giving him a heart to offer it, and that God was pleased to accept it at his hands. who am I Lord, that I should have a heart to give anything to thee? of thy own have I given thee; Thus will Prayer give God all the glory; But when mercies are not fetched in by prayer, ordinarily God hath little praise for them, either they are imputed to chance or industry, friends, or wit, or one creature or other, these rather wears the glory then God, but mercies won by prayer, are worn with thankfulness, it always lays the creature low, and exalts free grace highly: This is one reason why prayer is so effectual in this great work. Another is,

Hereby he doth greatly honor his people, he puts a great deal of glory upon his Servants, when he is pleased as at their request, to lay the foundation of a new Heaven, and a new Earth: This is a great honor to them, to be thus owned by him to be such powerful advocates; When Job friends came to make their peace with God, and God would not accept them, until Job prayed for them; Go to my Servant Job, and he shall pray for you, for him will I accept, else I shall deal with you according to your folly. Was not this a mighty honor put upon Job? When God told Abimelech that he and his house were but dead men, unless Abraham prayed for them, did he not thereby highly honor his servant? When Ahasuerus takes Queen Esther to him, and bids her ask to the half of his Kingdom, and at her request grants her her life, and the lives of all her people, it was a great honor he put upon her; So God hereby magnifies his love to his: that they may have his ear, and be able to do such great things with him.

And besides, as it is a glory to them, so it makes the building up of Zion, infinitely more comfortable and useful to them; anything that a gracious heart hath obtained by prayer, it prizes so much the more, we will know how we part with what we came hardly by; When Moses could tell the people, such a time I fell down before God for you, forty days and forty nights, and such a time I besought the Lord for you; he knew the worth of those mercies, and tasted the comfort of them; When the Saints can say: this we begged at God's hands, and this we sought God for, it will infinitely engage their spirits to value it, and walk worthy of it: And not only so, but their sweetness and comfort in the use of it, will be the greater when they shall see the travail of their soul, it is a great satisfaction to them; Bathsheba much rejoiced in Solomon, and Hannah in Samuel, and Sarah in Isaac, because they were the Sons of their vows, of their prayers, as well as of their womb.

Many excellent Uses may be made of this Doctrine, I shall endeavor to press two or three which are most seasonable, and then I have done.

Is the building up of Zion the fruit of God's people's prayers? Is prayer the great Master-builder on earth? then I beseech you learn to whom and what under God, we may most of all attribute the several mercies and deliverances which we have received. It is true, God only hath been our help, every stone which hath been laid into this building is an Eben-Ezer; we may write upon every stone, Hitherto God hath helped us, but among all our friends on earth none to be compared with prayer. God hath poured out a Spirit of prayer upon his people, Old men, Maids, and Servants, as well as Ministers, and Gentle-men, and Noble-men, all that fear God, have been knocking at heaven gates with all intensenesse of Spirit, with all earnestness, that God would save poor England, and build up his Church amongst us; and give me leave to say it, without derogating from any of your worth, under God we have been most beholding to prayer: Mistake me not, I know there are worthy ones amongst us, that have done excellently; many of our Nobles have done worthily, many of this honorable Assembly have been excellent instruments, many of our Soldiers, Counselors, Ministers, Citizens, and Commons, have willingly put all they have into this great Lottery, and when the Lord comes to reckon up his helpers, not one of them shall be forgotten, not a night they have watched, not a journey you have took, not a drop of blood they have spent, not an estate any of you have hazarded, not any pains you have took, which the Lord God will forget, but he will remember all; and yourselves in heaven, and it may be your posterity on earth, shall know that God hath associated you with himself to help forward this great work; but for all this, when all is done, let us say, Saul hath slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands; All these have done worthily, but among all prayer hath done the greatest of all the rest: How often hath prayer fetched God into our Armies, and rallied them again after they were routed, and given us the day after we had lost it? How often have Moses hands lift up upon the Mount, helped Joshua fighting in the valley, and covered his head in the day of battle? How often hath prayer brought God amongst our Counselors, when they have been at a loss, and directed them, and discovered some desperate plot, turned the counsels of Achitophel into foolishness? How many in every place (who have served the Lord in this great work) hath prayer helped at a dead lift? Prayer hath hitherto saved the kingdom. I remember a proud boast of our enemies, when we had lost Bristol and the Vies, they then sent abroad even into other kingdoms, a triumphant paper, wherein they concluded all was now fubdued to them, and among many other confident expressions there was one to this purpose, Nil restat superare Regem, &c. which might be construed two ways, either thus, There remains nothing for the King to conquer, but only the prayers of a few fanatic people; or thus, There is nothing left to conquer the King, but the prayers of a few fanatic people, everything else was lost, all was now their own: And indeed we were then in a very low condition, our strong holds taken, our Armies melted away, our hearts generally failing us for fear, multitudes flying out of the Kingdom, and many deserting the cause as desperate, making their peace at Oxford, nothing almost left us but preces & lachrymae; but blessed be God, prayer was not conquered, they have found it the hardest wall to climb, the strongest Brigade to overthrow, it hath hitherto preserved us, it hath raised up unexpected helps, and brought many unhoped for successes and deliverances; let us therefore under God let the Crown upon the head of prayer, ye Nobles and Worthies, be ye all content to have it so, it will wrong none of you in your deserved praise, God and man will give you your due, Many of you have done worthily, but prayer surpasses you all: and this is no new thing, prayer hath always had the preeminence in the building of Zion, God hath reserved several works for several men and several ages, but in all ages, and among all men, prayer hath been the chiefest instrument, especially in the building up of Zion.

Let me in the next place show you what esteem you should all have of prayer, and praying men, who have liberty to have the Lord's ear, who have the Spirit of prayer poured down upon them; while you live have them in high esteem: what David said of Goliath's sword, There is none to it, is true here, No help like the help of prayer. There are four things wherein prayer is beyond all other helps whatsoever: The one is,

It is the most absolute, the most universal medicine in the World, it is a Catholicon, it is good for everything, it is offensive and defensive, it will do good in the Army, in the Parliament house, in the Assembly, in the City, every where: Solomon teacheth this 1 Kings 8. from the 33 to the latter end of it: whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness, whatsoever other evil, of pestilence, war, famine, if they pray, help will come; it is of such a large extent, there is no enemy but it will conquer, no sore but it will cure, no misery but it will heal, no danger but it will prevent or remove; the healing tongue of prayer is like the Tree of Life, which healeth every disease: Others may be good for something, but Prayer for everything.

Nay, secondly, it is not only a help in any evil, but in any extremity of evil: A man, a State, a Church, a People, can be in no such extremity, as to be past prayers help; if prayer takes them in hand there is help for them: if God pour out the Spirit of prayer, if Isaiah can lift up a Prayer, when the child is come to the birth, and no strength to bring forth, prayer will do it. I have read of a stone, I think they call it Dioscordis, that if it be put into the mouth of one newly dead, it will revive him again: I know not how true that is, but certainly there is no extremity so great but prayer may help, if any help may be found in heaven or earth. And then thirdly,

It will help at any distance: They talk of some kind of Weapon-salve, that will cure at a great distance, but prayer will do anything at any distance. Look what is said of God in the 139 Psalm, If you go into heaven, or hell, or the utmost parts of the sea, or any of the corners of the earth, God's hand reaches there, and elsewhere; he is a God afar off as well as a God at hand: the same may we say of prayer, it will pass through sea and land, relieve any distressed garrison, strengthen any of our Armies. They say Archimedes could sit in his Study, and with his Engines defend Syracusa both by sea and land; this may a praying man do upon his knees in his Closet, he may bring help unto the uttermost parts of the world. And then

It is speedy, it will help at an instant; it is like Elias his cloud, which his man saw when he was at prayer for rain, a little cloud like a hand, which presently spread over all the heavens: the Angel Gabriel could not fly more swiftly, then prayer will fly to help at any extremity, at any distance. O that these things were studied and believed, how highly should we then esteem it! what encouragement then should we give to prayer and praying men! how much would we then endeavor to have our Armies furnished with praying Ministers and Soldiers? all your Garrisons, Assemblies, Committees, well stocked and stored with praying Saints? nothing would be too hard for them: you would, if you rightly consider this, be more careful to keep them all in a posture of prayer, then in a posture of defense.

Lastly, with which I shall end, because God will have prayer the great means of building up the Church, I most earnestly beseech you that this means may never be wanting in any of you, who have it to contribute: O, pray, pray, pray, do not with-draw from it, use it as the first, and last, and best remedy of all others, turn not your back upon it: O do not as (men say) some great ones do, make the days of prayer, and the times of prayer, the times they choose for their own pleasures, or business, and thereby plainly discover themselves to be of Machiavels religion, who counsels a Prince to set up a show of Religion ad captandum populum, to awe their people, but themselves not to be under such rules: let us really attend it, and give God no rest night nor day, until he establish our Jerusalem a praise in the earth; and this everyone of you who are godly may do: Everyone hath not money to contribute, nor strength, nor wisdom, but every gracious heart can pray; there is not a Maid, not an Apprentice, not a Servant, not the meanest in the Congregation, that hath the Spirit of God in them, but is this thing, you may come in to be Master-builders; you may do as much as any Parliament-man, or Assembly-man, or any whatsoever, if the Lord give you but a praying heart; therefore I beseech you follow this work. Two Motives I propound to quicken you, the one is,

We may justly say, our prayers hitherto have not had a miscarrying womb, nor dry breasts, we may say with the Psalmist, Verily God hath heard us, he hath attended to the voice of our prayers: and with Johan, When our soul fainted within us we remembered God, and our prayer came in unto him. Never had an unworthy people more experience of the power of prayer then we have had: The Romans once in a great distress, took the weapons out of the Temple of their God, and with them got a glorious victory over their enemies; O how many victories have these Sanctuary-weapons obtained for us! he is a blind man who seeth not visible returns of prayer; and God hath so ordered our affairs, that what the noble General said at the first victory we obtained at Edge-hill, That there was never anything wherein there was less of man, and more of God: So in most of our businesses we may truly say, Man hath failed, and God hath helped, that is, prayer hath prevailed: you have a good handsell; a good encouragement to go on. Secondly,

And truly our extremities and difficulties are such, which yet remain to be conquered, as can be overcome by nothing but prayer: All your Learning, Counsel, Strength, your Wisdom, your Treasure, and what ever else you have to contribute, are not like to deliver us, unless prayer bring God in for our helper. You know the Kingdom is brought low, and though we have a considerable strength both in the Army, the City, and the Navy, yet you know divided Kingdoms do not stand, and God hath for our sins brought this great judgment upon us, that we are divided and subdivided into minutula frustula, into the least bits of all, in Church and State, everywhere there are heart-burnings, divisions among ourselves, and a potent enemy very vigilant to take advantage, and many Malignants everywhere, ready to blow up and increase our distractions; many men's estates undone, and brought to poverty and beggary, and if these bloody wars continue, ere long famine and desolation will come upon us, beside all the guilt of our former and later provocations: these all are visible before your eyes, and all your helps are not like to do it suddenly, unless God come in, unless prayers fetch him down: Therefore pray (I beseech you Noble-men, Gentle-women, and all other) pray, pray, follow the Lord, and remember this is the Strong helper, which must save, or we perish; we have as much need of prayer as ever we had, therefore you who are the Lord's remembrancers, and have his ear, ply the Throne of grace diligently, let not your heart grow sluggish, remember what the Prophet said unto the King, who smote with the arrows three times, and then stayed, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, and then thou shouldest utterly have smitten Syria, till thou hadst consumed it: Say thou so to thy own heart, Thou shouldst in these days have prayed 10000 times more then thou hast done, go on now with it, humbly spread our sad condition before him, plead with him daily, thou canst not want arguments; tell him it is his own cause, we are engaged by him, and for him; tell him how long, and how much his people have suffered under their oppressors, and how violently they rise up still to spoil all; that there are abundance of his Saints engaged in this work, and they will never give him rest, till he have set up Jerusalem to be a praise upon the whole earth: and when the unworthiness of the Kingdom comes in, and objects against us, that we are a sinful wretched Kingdom, fit to be destroyed, you may still find answers and arguments enow in God's grace and favor: He hath begun to build, and surely he will not be like the foolish builder, that begun and then gave over; he himself blames them who go about a work and not go through with it; tell him, we will give him all the glory of it, and serve him better if he will give us grace; that if our enemies prevail it will be worse with his people then ever, his name will be more dishonored then ever. Thus follow him with a mourning heart, & a melting eye, & do it constantly, do it daily; I confess these monthly Fasts are grown to a most wretched formality in many places, the Lord of heaven teach us how we may be more quickened in this great work of prayer; and let everyone who hath any interest in heaven, remember Bradfords usual Motto and exhortation, Pray, pray, pray.

But before I dismiss you, I must put in this caution; You must not think every man, and every prayer will be thus effectual; Alas, no: here are (it may be) three or four thousand people at Church, God only knows whether every fourth man hath a praying Spirit; It is not every man who will pretend to pray, whom God will accept: When they fast (saith God of the wicked Israelites, Jeremy chap. 4.) I will not hear their cry; when they offer an oblation I will not accept them, but I will consume them: Do not (I beseech you) think that the prayers of Blasphemers, and Drunkards, and Whoremasters, and Scorners of God and Religion, of those that pretend to be for him and are against him, do not (I say) imagine that God will regard such as these are, though they cry, Arise and save us; I will not say to these men, Pray not, but I will say to them as Peter did to Simon Magus, Pray, if it may be possible, that the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee, for thou art in the gall of bitterness; but be you assured that these men's prayers will not come into the shot of those that shall build God's Church, or deliver us; No, no, the Philosopher could teach thus much, who when they were at Sea in a Tempest, and all went to their prayers, and among the rest a profligate wicked wretch amongst them went to his prayers, the Philosopher called to him, Hold thy peace, lest the God's hear thee, and drown us all for thy sake. He who would be one of this number whose prayers shall come before God, must be acquainted with God; Acquaint thyself with God, be at peace with him, then thou shalt make thy prayer to him, and he shall hear thee, but these men have no acquaintance with him, he will say to them as the evil Spirit said to the sons of Sceva, Paul I know, but who are ye? so the Lord will say, Prayer I know, but what are ye? Do you whore, and drink, and swear, and lie, and abuse my Name and Ordinances, and think you of praying? No, no (beloved) these are not the people, believe it they are not, they are the prayers of his Saints, and of his Saints only, which he regards. And then secondly, as it is not every man, so it is not every prayer will do it; I know it may be a weak prayer, a prayer where there may be very weak utterance, weak gifts, and weak judgment and memory, yet it may be accepted, God knows how to interpret the meaning of his own Spirit in them; but they must not be dead prayers, lifeless, formal, slight, perfunctory, customary prayers, not the saying over of prayer, as if a Lesson were only read out of a book, without spirit, understanding, devotion; but prayer must be prayer, it must be the pouring out the soul, it must be fervent prayer, it must be humble prayer, it must be from a pure heart, and faith unfeigned, it must be prayer offered up in the name of Christ, in the strength of the Covenant of grace; these things must at least be aimed at and endeavored in prevailing prayers. These things deserve to be prosecuted more fully, but I fear I have already transgressed upon your patience by the length of my Sermon, I commend it to your thoughts, and let us by prayer commend it and ourselves to God, that we may join with them, and be numbered among them whose prayers he will hear for the building up of Zion.