day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts, &c. that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick, &c.Isa. lxv. 2, 3. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest, &c.-Jer. vi. 16. I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them, &c. concerning burnt-offerings, &c.-Jer. vii. 22, 23. 31. The place of my throne, &c. shall the house of Israel no more defile; neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, &c. in their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their posts by my posts, &c.-Ezek. xliii. 7,8. Son of man, mark well, &c. all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the Lord, and all the laws thereof, &c. And thou shalt say to the rebellious, &c. Ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, &c. to pollute it; even my house, when ye offer my bread, &c. And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things; but ye have set keepers of my charge (or ordinance) in my sanctuary for yourselves.--Ezek. xliv. 5-9. If ye offer the blind, &c. offer it unto thy governor, &c. I am a great king, &c.-Mal. i. 6. 8. 13, 14. Why do you transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, &c. But ye say, &c. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition, &c. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. -Matt. xv. 3-6. 8, 9. Mark vii. 3-8. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.-Matt. xviii. 20. Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you.— Matt. xxviii. 20. Acts x. 33. That which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the sight of God.—Luke xvi. 15. When Paul, according to advice, had observed some Jewish ceremonies, the Jews came upon him, and laid hold on him; the very thing his advisers proposed to prevent by it.Acts xxi. 20, &c. After the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers; believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets.-Acts xxiv. 14. That ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable will of God.Rom. xii. 2. Eph. v. 10. 17. He that doubteth, is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. Rom. xiv. 23. Now I praise you, brethren, that you, &c. keep the ordinances (or traditions) as I delivered them to you, &c. For I have received of the Lord, that which also I delivered unto you; That the Lord Jesus the same night, &c.-1 Cor. xi. 1, 2. 23. Though we or an angel from heaven preach unto you other than that which we have preached, &c. let him be accursed.-Ĝal. i. 8. : Ye did run well who did hinder you (or turn you back)? This persuasion cometh not of him that called you.-Gal. v. 7, 8. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, &c.-Eph. iv. 14. Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do.-Phil. iv. 9. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, &c. If ye be dead with Christ, why, as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances (touch not, taste not, We beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how you ought to walk, and to please God, so ye would abound, &c.-1 Thess. iv. 1. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.-1 Thess. v. 21. Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which ye have been taught; whether by word or our epistle.-2 Thess. ii. 15. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me.-2 Tim. i. 13. Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of; knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And that from a child, thou hast known the holy scriptures, &c.-2 Tim. iii. 14, 15. Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.-Titus i. 14. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.-Heb. ii. 1. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning.-1 John ii. 24. It was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you, that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints: for there are certain men crept in, &c. -Jude 3, 4. The children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, &c. and had walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom, &c. and of the kings of Israel, which they had made, &c. also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God; but walked in the statutes of Israel, which they made.2 Kings xvii. 7, 8, 18, 19. That which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the sight of God.—Luke xvi. 15. Some affirm that we say, Let us do evil, that good may come whose damnation is just.-Rom. iii. 8. SECT. VI. To pray unto God: Of Prayer at large. ABRAHAM prayed for Abimelech unto God; and God healed him and his.Gen. xx. 17. O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee send me good speed this day, &c. Let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, &c.-Gen. xxiv. 12-14. And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was entreated of him, and Rebeccah his wife conceived.Gen. xxv. 21. Jacob prayed unto God in his distress about Esau, and prevailed. Gen. xxxii. 9-12.24-26.28. xxxiii. 4. Hosea xii. 4, 5. Moses cried unto God for Pharaoh, to remove their plagues.-Exod. viii. 12, 13. ix. 33. x. 18. Moses prayed hard and often for Israel, and prevailed.-Exod. xxxii. 11-14. 31, 32. Numb. xiv. 13—20. See the words of this Prayer. Deut. ix. 25, &c. The forms Moses and Aaron, and his sons, used in blessing the people, and in their march.-Numb. vi. 23-26. x. 35, 36. I besought the Lord at that time, saying, O Lord God, thou hast begun to shew thy servant, &c.-Deut. iii. 23, &c. If from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart, &c. Deut. iv. 29. Joshua prayed when Israel had fled before the men of Ai.-Josh. vii. 5–9.. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen : let them deliver, &c. Deliver us only, we pray thee, this day-Judges x. 14, 15. Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send, come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child. And God hearkened unto the voice of Manoah.Judges xiii. 8, 9. Sampson called on the Lord, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant, and now shall I die for thirst? And God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout.-Judges xv. 18, 19. And Sampson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee; and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, &c. -Judges xvi. 28. Hannah prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore, &c. She spake in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard, &c.-1 Sam. i. 10. 13-15. As for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord, in ceasing to pray for you.-1 Sam. xii. 23. David prays that it might be with him and his house, as God had said to him by Nathan the prophet.-2 Sam. vii. 17-29. While the child was alive, I fasted; and I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious?-2 Sam. xii. 22. Jonah iii. 8, 9. Exod. xxxii. 30. Acts viii. 21. God said to Solomon, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon asked wisdom to govern. And God was pleased so with that, and in that he had not asked long life and riches, that God gave him wisdom, and understanding, and riches, and honour also. -1 Kings iii. 5-13. King Solomon prayed at large, at the dedication of the temple; and God heard him.-1 Kings viii. 22, &c. ix. 2, 3. 2 Chron. i. 7, &c. Elijah the prophet prayed that it might be made known that God was God in Israel, when others were for Baal: and God heard him, and caused fire to come down and consume the sacrifice.-1 Kings xviii. 36-38. xvii. 21,22. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face continually.-1 Chron. xvi. 11. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee.-1 Chron. xxviii. 9. Judah, &c. sought him with their whole desire, and he was found of them.-2 Chron. xv. 15. There are good things found in thee: thou hast taken away, &c. and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.— 2 Chre 1. xix. 3. Asa prayed for help against the Ethiopian army of a thousand thousand men, and prevailed.-2 Chron. xiv. 10-12. When Moab, &c. came against Jehoshaphat, he stood in the congregation, in the house of the Lord, and prayed for help and God heard, and answered.-2 Chron. xx. 5-12.15.24. Hezekiah being sick, prayed.— 2 Chron. xxxii. 24. Nehemiah, when he heard of the affliction of the Jews, he wept, and mourned, and fasted, and prayed.— Neh. i. 4, &c. So again, when Israel were building and in danger of enemies.-Neh. iv. 4, 5. 9.—Ezra viii. 21. ix. I would make supplication to my judge.-Job ix. 15. my My God; for unto thee will I pray: voice shalt thou hear in the morning: O Lord, in the morning will I. direct unto thee, and look up.-Ps. v. 2, 3. He forgetteth not the cry of the humble.-Ps. ix. 12. x. 17. Our fathers, &c. prayed; and thou didst deliver.-Ps. xxii. 4, 5. I acknowledge my sin, &c. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found.-Ps. xxxii. 5, 6. They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing, &c. His ears are open unto their cry.-Ps. xxxiv. 10. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble; I will deliver thee, &c.-Ps. l. 15. Though Nathan had told David, his sin was forgiven him, yet he prays earnestly to be delivered from bloodguiltiness, &c.-Ps. li. 1-15. As for me, I will call upon God: and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.-Ps. lv. 16, 17. I will cry unto God most high; unto God, that performeth all things for me.-Ps. lvii. 2, &c. O thou that hearest prayer: unto thee shall all flesh come.-Ps. lxv. 2. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. But verily, God hath heard.-Ps. lxvi. 18, 19. Isa. lviii. 6-9. lix. 1-3. i. 11, &c. Ezek. xiv. 3. xx. 31. The saints plead with God their relation to him, and the opposite state of their enemies.-Ps. lxxix. Isa. lxiii. 15, &c. lxiv. 8, &c. Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer, &c. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee; for thou wilt answer me.-Ps. lxxxvi. 5-7. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. -Ps. cii. 17. x. 17. I am thine; save me. I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know, &c. I cried with my whole heart, &c. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried.Ps. cxix. 94. 125. 145. 147. In my distress, I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.-Ps. cxx. 1. 2 Sam. xxii. 7. Ps. xxxiv. 4. 6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.Ps. cxxii. 6. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him; to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.-Ps. cxlv. 18, 19. Neh. i. 11. Because I have called, and ye refused, &c. They shall call upon me, but I will not answer.-Prov. i. 24, &c. The sacrifice of the wicked, is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight, &c. He heareth the prayer of the righteous.-Prov. xv. 8. 29. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination.-Prov. xxviii. 9. Be not rash with thy mouth; and be not hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.-Eccles. v. 2. My dove, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice.-Cant. ii. 14. When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers (or multiply prayers) I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash ye, &c.--Isa. i. 15, 16. lix. 1-3. lxvi. 3. In trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer (or secret speech) when thy chastening was upon them.-Isa. xxvi. 16. Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob.-Isa. xliii. 22. Thus saith the Lord, &c. Ask me of things to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands; command ye me, &c. I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain.-Isa. xlv. 1. 19. Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found: call ye upon him while he is near.-Isa. Iv. 6. When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee.--Isa. lvii. 13. Loose the bands of wickedness, &c. then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer: thou shalt cry, &c.-Isa. lviii. 6, 7. 9. For Zion's sake, will I not hold my peace; and for Jerusalem's sake, I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth, &c. I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace, day nor night. Ye that make mention of the Lord (or are the Lord's remembrancers), keep not silence; and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the carth.-Isa. Ixii. 1. 6, 7. The church's prayer for the Lord's return unto them.-Isa. lxiii. 15 19. lxiv. I am found of them that sought me not.-Isa. lxv. 1. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me for 1 will not hear thee. Seest thou not what they do? &c.— Jer. vii. 16, 17. Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not; and upon the families that call not on thy name.Jer. x. 25. Ps. xiv. 4. I will bring evil upon them, &c. and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. Therefore pray not thou for this people, &c. for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.--Jer. xi. 11. 14. xiv. 11, 12. Jeremiah prays for Israel, when he prophesied of the dearth.-Jer. xiv. 7-9. 18-22. The Lord said unto him, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, my mind could not be towards this people, &c.--Jer. xv. 1. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.-Jer. xxix. 12, 13. Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty (or hidden) things, which thou knowest not. Jer. xxxiii. 3. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God, in the heavens, &c. Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayers should not pass through.-Lam. iii. 41. 44. When God had promised many things that he would do for his, he saith, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them.—Ezek. xxxvi. 24—37. Daniel desired his companions that they would ask mercy of the God of heaven, concerning the secret of the king's dream; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish, &c. And it was revealed to him.-Dan. ii. 17-19. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. -Dan. vi. 10, 11. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplication and I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, forgive, &c. for the Lord's sake, for thine own sake, for thy mercy's sake.-Dan. ix. 3, 4. 17. 19. They shall go with their flocks, and with their herds, to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them. They have dealt treacherously against the Lord.-Hosea v. 6, 7. They have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds.-Hosea vii. 14. By his strength he had power with God: yea he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept and made supplication unto him.—Hosea xii. 3, 4. Gen. xxxii. 24-27. Sanctify a fast, &c. and cry unto the Lord: Alas for the day, &c.Joel i. 14, &c. Sanctify a fast, &c. let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep, &c. and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over (or use a by-word against) them: wherefore should they say amongst the people, Where is their God? Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people, &c. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be delivered.-Joel ii. 15-18. 32. Acts. ii. 21. Seek ye me, and ye shall live, &c. seek the Lord, and ye shall live, &c. I hate, I despise your feasts, &c. L |