4 This ferveth alfo to encourage us in the cause of religion, or in the juft defence of the oppreffed, to awake our courage and to take pains.

It belongeth not to us who are Gods Minifters, to enquire what caufe of wars we have at this prefent, what means muft be used to commence and maintain them..

This belongeth to us to animate all that are called to just wars, to take courage from this example.

If the fun stood ftil whilst foshua did fight for the Gibeonites, because Gods oath had bound Ifrael to them is confederacy. I cannot doubt, but the Son of righteousneffe, the Captain of Gods guards, the Lord of his Hofts; will cover their heads in the day of battail, that fight for the oppreffed Church of God, their brethren, the profeffors of the fame faith, the worfhippers of the fame God.

Whereas this miracle of the ftation of the Sun and Moon was done at the inftance of Joshua, we are taught to behold the truth of Gods promises made to his fervants.

He had promised fofbua to magnifie him in the fight of his people, and the bleffing of the people on Joshua was onely, the Lord be with thee, as he was with Mofes,

So he was in the divifion of the waters of Jordan, fo was he in the conqueft of Jericho and. Ai, and never was there fuch a thing feen, that the Lord heard the voice of a man to make the day two days long!

1 This was done to prevent Idolatry, that the people might not erect any memory to Mofes, to honour him with divine honour, which alfo God feared, and therefore he buried Mofes himself, and would let no man know where he was buried, to prevent Idolatry, a sounder and do need prossima The Devil, no doubt, knew the place; that was the quarrel between Michael and the Devill, about the body of Mofes ; for the Devil would faine have difcovered where it was, to have miffed the people to Idolatry, but Michael resisted him a Now when the people fee that he which was great in Mofes, is as great in fofbua,and they have experience that ofbua hath of of the fame spirit that Mofes had, this doth direct their judge

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ments

'ofh.1.17.

ments not to look upon the inftruments by whom wonders are done, but on God who doth them, and can do them as well by Joshua as by Mofes.

2 This was done to affure the former promifes of the quiet and full poffeffion of the land, against the fear which the Joh.10.14 Spies fuggefted; for if God declare by thefe fignes that he fighteth for Ifrael, as it is faid upon this figne, Ifrael need not fear the power of their enemies, they may go forth in the ftrength of the Lord, his word is their warrant, his truth their affurance.

When we behold the fame power of God in the change of Minifters of his will, vve learn to know vvhatsoever alteration the viciffitude of time maketh on earth,yet,thon Lord art the fame, and thy years do not fail. Therefore, as David faith, Put not your trust in Princes, nor in any fon of man, for there is no help in them: there is help by them, but it is not in them: our help is in the name of the Lord who hath made heaven and earth.

2 This fhevveth the perpetual course of Gods favour to his Church, the faithfull fervant of God, Mofes dieth, but the fpiEliah. rit that God put upon Mofes furvived him, and rested upon Elisha. Joshua, he was confecrated to that imployment.

Num.27. 1 By Gods own election and defignation.

18.

Deu.28.

2 By the impofition of Mofes hands, and the devolution of fome of his honour upon hims

3 By Gods own gift of the fame fpirit that vvas upon Moles.

Thus vvhere God loveth a poople, the favour of God runeth in a full ftream in the Chanel of his Church.

3 Seeing this conftant truth of God in his gratious promifes to to his Church, hath reference to our obedience: this much teach us to obey and ferve our God in all things, that his fun may fhine upon our Tabernacles, and that vye may anoint our paths with butter; for as David faith, No good thing will be with-hold from them that ferve the Lord.

He hath fhevved his people vvhat they shall trust too, fings and curfings, life and death.

blef

3 Doctrine. This allo teacheth us, as the Apostle doth. The

effe

effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much.

He proveth it by the example of Eliah, who though he were a man fubject to the like paffions, as we are, he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth in three years, and fix moneths.

And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain.

So this example of Joshua praying, is a full example of the effectuall power of prayer, thefe examples, as that allo of Mofes praying upon the Mount, when fofbuah fought with Amalek, do ali feeme to prove the force of prayer. And great reafon there is that this fhould be effectuall with God.

1 Because there is no fervice that man can perform to God, wherein he doth fo much part with himself, and even lay himfelf down in prayer, for therein he openeth his heart to God, and poureth forth his fpirit to him; and his faith doth bring God to him face to face.

When men pray as they ought, they know God and themfelves, they know and confeffe him the faithfull Creatour, the mercifull redeemer, the gracious preferver, the bounteous rewarder of men. And they know themselves to be but men, that is indigent and needy, having nothing but what they receive from his hand, and of his free gift,immerent,deferving none, not the leaft of his favours.

Which two confiderations do ferve to humble us, and to honour him.

We finde in Scripture watching and fafting often joyned with prayer, as outward means to tame and fubdue the feth, that it may be the leffer able to refift the power of the fpirit, for the fpirit is willing in the fervant of God, but the flesh

is weak.

2 There is no part of Gods worship that hath fo many precepts to impofe it on us, as prayer hath in both the Teftaments, none that we have fo many examples of great fucceffe and prevayling with God,none that we have fo good means to perform as prayer; none that hath fo many promifes made to it in holy Scripture.

James 5.16.

1 For precepts, fo foon as God had established him an Prcept. houfe

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houfe for his publique worship, he commanded it to be called an house of prayer to all nations.

Solomon dedicated that houfe to God by prayer, it is Gods own Word, feek ye my face, it is the Churches aufwer. Thy face, O Lord, will I feek And Chrift our Saviour often in the gofpel, the Apoftles after him enjoyns it.

2Example. 2 For example we have Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, Mofes, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Eliab, Manaffeh, Nehemiah, Job, Samuel, Daniel: all the Prophets,all the holy men, Chrift, his Apoftles, all with admirable fucceffe,

3 For means, Chrift taught us to pray, fhewed us the way to the Father, in his mediation, and by his name.

And the fpirit which Chrift left in his Church helpeth our infirmities.

Chrift hath comprehended all in a few words, whatsover you shall ask the Father in my name, it shall be given you.

Ask and receive, that your joy may be full petite, quærite, pulfate.

Thefe great examples of fucceffe do all feem to flirre us up, to the performance of this part of Gods worship both.

1 In obedience to the Commandement of God, who hath impofed this duty on us, whofe Commandements are mighty and ought not to be light layed.

2 In an holy ambition of the best graces of God which are this way obteined of him.

3 In an humble love to our God, to whofe prefence and conference we come by prayer.

4 In an holy imitation of thofe great examples, vvhich are fo frequent in Gods faithfull ones, in the double Testament of God.

In a thankfull ufe of the means by God ordeined to faci fitate this fervice, that we receive not the grace of God in vain. 6 In a confident faith in Gods gratious and free promifes, Which are yea and Amen non b

In an humble fenfe and feeling of our ovvn vvants, and the neceflities of our brethren, for fo vye do exercife both our piety to God, and our charity to our felves and our brethren.

But

But this difcourageth many, we read of great power of Ob. prayer of old, as that Mofes prayer gave fob victory. Fofbuahs prayer made the Sun ftand ftill. Eliab by prayer, fhut up heaven, by prayer he opened it. Daniel by prayer fhut up

the mouths of the lions in their den.

We fee no fuch effects of prayer now, and therefore we think prayer is not of fuch effect now, as heretofore.

To this our anfwer is, that great and extraordinary examples of the fucceffe of prayer are but thinly scattered in the Book of God,to fhew the power of Gods Ordinance.

Neither may that be a rule to us, that prayer is not of force as it hath been, because we do not fee fuch great effects thereof, as have appeared in former times.

For in the time of the fhadow, when Chrift was seen in type, and under a veil, there was need of extraordinary examples to confirm faith, but to us that live in the cleer light of the gofpel, to whom Chrift is made manifeft to be our interceffor, this may feem to ftrengthen faith.

If God did hear the prayers of his faithful owns,and anfwered them by miracles, they had fpeciall warrant to demand those things at the hands of God.

We have no fuch warrant, but look wee what we may pray for, and we shall finde that God doth anfwer us with fuccefs. 1 That the name of God may be hollowed, doth not every faithfull fervant of God place his truft in this name? doth he not praise it for all things?

2 That the Kingdome of God may come; Is not this King dome of grace in the Church doth not the believer feel Chrift reigning in his heart, and ruling him by his fpirit? and doth he not expect his fecond comming in glory and believe everlasting life.

3 That the will of God may be done here as it is in heaven, is it not fo?

Our conversation is in heaven; doth not the whole life of a faithfull foul spend it self in imitation of Christ, and of the Angels of God, and of the holy Saints that are gone before us to praise God in heaven.

Sol.

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4. Have