An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

Thirdly, When the Lord is resolved to take away the peace and glory of a Nation, or of a Church, he will do it, and no spiritual means shall hinder him, prayer it self shall not hinder him. If any thing in the world can move the Lord to restore, when he taketh away the peace of a people, it is prayer and the cry of his people. Prayer hath often met the Lord, as Abigail did David (1 Sam. 25.) and prevailed with him to put up his sword, which was ready to destroy. At the voice of prayer the Lord hath restored that which he took away, and hath stayed from doing that which he seemed fully resolved to do, Psal. 106.23. The Lord would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him ⟨p. 238⟩in the breach. Did Moses out-power the Lord? did he out-wit, or out-policy the Lord? No, but Moses prayed, and prayed so strongly that the Lord was hindered, that is, he, as if he had been hindered, did not effect the thing, he restored their comforts again, when he had arrested but some of them, and seemed to come armed with resolution to take all away. Yet sometimes we find the Lord will come and take away, and prayer it self, prayer and fasting, cries and tears shall not hinder, God will trample upon all these. God was resolved to take away the glory of Israel; and to assure them that he would, he takes away that wherein their chief assurance lay, that he would not (Jer. 15.1.) Thus saith the Lord, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people, &c. As if he had said, Ye think to hinder me now, ye will stop me, ye will send out prayer, your old friend, which hath helped you heretofore at many a dead lift. And if you cannot pray enough your selves, you will procure prayers, and pray in the aid of prayer from all the favourites that I have in the world, ye will get Moseses and Samuels, such as they, to pray for you; ye may do so, if ye will, but it shall not profit you, they and ye shall lose your labour, even these labours will not quit cost or be worth the while, to the end ye aim at, for, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, and entreated for this people, yet my mind could not be toward them: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth, such as are for the sword, to the sword, and such as are for death, to death, and such as are for captivity, to captivity.