The Return of Prayers

And for as much as these grand affairs of this his Kingdom, ¹as future, and to come, are commended to their prayers, as their most proper subject, about which they are to treat, Ask of me of things to come: in this respect, they do become as truly. 3. Prophets also: though not in so full and complete, yet in some kind of true resemblance; not by foretelling, yet by forespeaking in their prayers, things that come to pass. To demonstrate which, God, ⟨image 5⟩who made and upholds this world, and all things in it, by the word of his power, doth likewise rule and govern it, by the Presidents, and prescript rules, of the word of his will: exactly dispensing unto men,² both rewards and punishments, according to the tenor of some or other, of his promises and threatenings, and former like proceedings therein recorded: though with such various liberty, in respect of the particulars, that his ways remain unsearchable and past finding out: That look how he appointed in the heavens, those ordinances of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, by their light, heat, and motion, to rule ⟨image 5⟩the day and night, to divide, and cause the several seasons of the year, and all the changes and alterations that do pass over this animal, and natural world▪ in like manner hath he stretched out that so exceeding broad expanse of his word and law,³ (to which the Psalmist doth assimilate it) over this rational world,⁴ of Angels and Men; and therein set his Statutes, and his Judgements, that by the light of Precepts, and their influences in rewards and punishments, they might order and direct these his creatures reasonable, and all their actions; also dispose, and set out all the issues of them. And seeing his Saints ⟨image 6⟩they are a people in whose hearts is his Law; and their delight is to meditate therein, both day and night, they daily calculating and observing the various aspects, conjunctions, and mixed influences of those innumerable precepts, promises, and threatenings, which themselves and others, Nations or Men, stand under; and by a Judgement thence resulting,