where it doth not remove it. Nature is strengthened to bear the pain; conscience is strengthened to withstand the temptation and snare of it. The heart is meekened to accept the punishment of sin. As wool or mud deads the force of a bullet; so the heart, weakened by prayer, doth obtund the edge of an affliction, that it cannot get so deep into the heart to hurt it.

III. In prayer, we must seek the face of God; his favour to comfort us, and his counsel to direct us.

1. In judgements and difficulties, we should more seek God's favour than our own deliverance; the recovery of his love, than the removal of his rod. Other griefs press nature; his displeasure wounds the spirit. In other griefs, God's favour upholds the soul; (Psalm xxiii. 4, and xciv. 17, 19) but when God's favour is withdrawn, the soul hath nothing else left to lean to: nothing can comfort when God frowns. Armour can protect against a sword or a bullet, but not against fire. When God is angry, no refuge but in himself.

2. In difficulties, we must likewise seek God's face, as David did; (2 Sam. xxi. 1) not lean on our own understanding, nor sacrifice to our net; but have our eyes upon him, who is the Father of Lights; who, when he will, maketh wise the simple: and when he will, infatuateth the counsel of the wise, and maketh it brutish.

IV. After all these preparatory duties, that which is the substantial duty, and the end of all the rest, must follow, 'Turning from our wicked ways:' not from sin to sin, that is 'mutatio in aliud' only, not 'in melius:'-Not from sin to secular interest; that is not a conversion from sin to God, but to the world:-not from sin to the mere dictates of nature and right reason; that is not a conversion from sin to God, but from sin to ourselves; a philosophical, not a spiritual conversion :-not from sin only to the natural conscience, to gratify and prevent the terrors of that; that is a servile, not a filial conversion:-but from sin to God; not feignedly and hypocritically, (Jer. iii. 10) with a divided heart: but sincerely in our thoughts, from the love and allowance of all sin; in our ways, from the practice willingly of any sin; but especially from those sins which have most prevailed against us, and wherewith we have most dishonoured God. (as Isa. xvii. 7, 8, and xxx. 22. Hos. xiv. 3).

These are the duties here prescribed, in order to the answering of Solomon's prayer. The answer follows exactly commensurate to these duties, in four gracious promises.

1. A promise of gracious condescension, intimated in the word from heaven; though he dwell on high, he will humble himself to revive the spirit of contrite and humble sinners. (Psalm cxiii. 5, 6. Isa. lvii. 15) He will 'come down' to work deliverance for them. (Exod. iii. 8)

2. Promise of gracious audience; "I will hear." It is a doleful affliction to God's servants, when he is angry with their prayers, and shuts them out. (Psalm 1xxx. 4. Lam. iii. 8) And on the other side, this is one of the most radiant and glorious comforts of God's people, that, in all difficulties, they have a throne of grace to betake them to, with a promise," You shall pray, and I will hearken;"-as a man doth to what he delighteth in: for "the prayer of the righteous is his delight." (Jer. xxix. 12, 13. Prov. xv. 8)

3. A gracious promise of forgiveness to serene his countenance, and lift up the light thereof upon them: for even when we do his will, and when we are his people, we want pardoning mercy. There is need of pardon, not only for the ungodly unto their justification, but also for his own people and children unto a restitution to paternal favour; the sense and fruition whereof they may forfeit by their sins. And this is God's method in hearing prayers,-to forgive sin, before he cures pain. (Matth. ix. 2) For indeed when sin is pardoned, the sickness is cured at the root; for sin is the sting of every affliction, as well as of death.

4. A promise of healing, healing of the land, the humiliations and prayers of God's peculiar people are beneficial to the whole land. "The innocent shall deliver the island." (Job xxii. 30) A Joseph in Egypt, an Elijah in Israel, is the chariots and horsemen thereof. An humbled, praying, converting people, shall certainly be a healed people: and if ever we hope to be healed to purpose, this must be our method to it. Now touching these promises, there is this worthy our observation :

6

1. That when God comes down' to deliver, and looks from heaven, he doth it by no other way, than by the incarnation of his Son, the efficacy of his Spirit, the operation of his evidence, or the ministry of angels.

2. When he hears prayers, it is only by the intercession and mediation of Christ.

3. When he forgives sins, it is only by the merits and righteousness of Christ.

4. But when he heals a land, he often useth in that work the ministry of men. Magistrates are healers and repairers; (Isa. iii. 7) ministers are healers of the sick. (Ezek. xxxiv. 4)

And, therefore, I shall here, in all humility, implore of you, Right Honourable, who are instruments for healing in the Lord's hand, unto these long and wofully sick nations,—that you would, with all your vigour, call together all the graces of God, all the abilities of nature in you, unto this most necessary work. You have the Lord's promise to be with you in it, if you set about it in his way.

And his way to heal a land, is,

1. When the people thereof are his people, called by his

name.

2. When they are an humbled, penitent, praying, reforming people.

Your greatest care therefore must be ;

1. That the people of the land be God's people; that his name be owned; his truths, worship, interests, preserved pure and inviolate amongst us. It is to those that fear God's name, that the promise of healing' is made. (Mal. iv. 2)

2. Inasmuch as even the sins of such may provoke the Lord, your zeal for God, and love to the nation should appear, in awakening them and all others to remember from whence they are fallen; many of them through pride, wantonness, interests, and carnal designs, from wholesome truths, from holy ordinances, from the love of a faithful ministry, from brotherly love, from Christian communion, to many errors and vain janglings, to contempt of magistracy, to affronting authority, to violating public order and peace; to such an excess of licentiousness, under the pretence of freedom, that religion scarce ever was more endangered under the straits of persecution, thau under the lasciviousness and wantonness of an abused liberty. Though, therefore, there ought to be all tenderness to preserve for God's people the liberty wherewith the Lord hath made them free, (God forbid any restraint or abridgment should be upon that :) yet since the same Lord hath commanded, that we must not use our

liberty as a cloak of maliciousness, it is necessary that great prudence be used to prevent the exorbitances of wanton minds, who make use of liberty to the dishonour and assaulting of public authority, to the kindling of flames, animating the discontented people unto insurrections, enervating the peace and concord of the people of the land, by disjointing them in that which is the main bond of unity, the truths of religion:-wherein, when they are once universally broken, who sees not how wide a door is opened for Rome or Munster, not only to enter in, but to be welcomed amongst us.

The way therefore unto healing, is to endeavour to bring us all home to be God's people, and, as his people, to be compacted within ourselves; to lay aside all dividing, distinguishing, invidious titles; and, with fraternal affections, to coalesce, as far as may be, in judgement, however, thoroughly in affection; and so to keep our differing opinions to ourselves, as that the consciences of our brethren may not be grieved, nor the peace of the church of Christ endangered thereby.

I conclude all, with beseeching you, that since the Lord hath taken it as one of his titles to be called 'The Lord that healeth us,' (Exod. xv. 26) that without him the builder worketh, the watchman keepeth, the statesman counselleth, the physician healeth, all in vain,-You would ever, by prayer, and attendance unto God for counsel, so seek his face, and guidance in this weighty work-that, when it is finished, and the head-stone of our settlement laid, we may say, "It was the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our eyes ;" and may with shouting cry, "Grace, grace unto it."

THE

LORD'S PROPERTY

IN HIS REDEEMED PEOPLE:

Opened in a SERMON at St. Paul's Church, London, October 28, 1660.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

SIR RICHARD BROWN,

LORD MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LONDON;

SIR THOMAS ALLEYN,

THE LAST LORD MAYOR,

AND COURT OF ALDERMEN.

RIGHT HONOURABLE,

BEING desired by order of your court to print this Sermon, preached on the last day of the then Lord Mayor, and the first of the present, I shall humbly crave leave to mind both those honourable persons, and all others, of the signal providence of God to them and us, this last year. How graciously the Lord hath carried the Lord Mayor through the storms and difficulties of a most troublesome government, bearing him up by a spirit of prudence and calmness, above potent frowns, and popular passions, till at last his year was honoured with the glorious spectacle that this city hath seen for many and many ages, in the happy return of our Dread Sovereign unto his royal throne,-our eyes have been abundantly witnesses of. From how many afflictions and dangers your present Lordship hath been wonderfully delivered, the Lord providing shelters and chambers to hide you in from