to the earthly Ierusalem the house in which the publick Minister and people praise God together or by thy preferment in death to haue thy soule carried vp to the Ierusalem aboue where thou shalt praise him without ceasing perfectly in his owne presence with Angels and Saints innumerable Though men forsake thee God will tarrie with thee by his comforts in thy flesh and by his spirit in thy heart Iohn 14.23 when thy house is shut vp God that cannot be shut vp will prouide a large walke for thee in the pleasant gallery of thy good conscience when men write Lord haue mercy on the doore he will shew mercy within doores when men keepe thee darke he will giue thee light when they close vp the windowes of thy chamber he will set open the windowes of his Kingdome and when they go from thee he will come vnto thee sup with thee Apoc. 3.20 When God restraineth the fruits of the earth by keeping in his raine or by giuing it in excess with the breaking open of the flood-gates of his waters he hath his Boaz of secret prouidence as long agoe for godly Ruth Ruth 2.8 9. so still for his faithfull children that they may eate and their soules may liue And when the wicked who haue not God for their hiding place shall vpon the bruite of euery calamitie and crosse comming runne hither and thither as men without hope or distracted thou knowing in whom thou hast beleeued maiest hide thee with the feathers of Gods truth and faithfulnesse and goe to thy Father Luke 15.18 the words that follow are in effect the same that the words are which we lastly heard and the repetition is safe for vs Philip. 3.1 for therefore doth God speake twice that we might heare him once and because through our imperfect state of faith we come fearefully as vpon the waters with Peter to Christ in long and great troubles Mat. 14.29 30. therefore are the words doubled that we might haue the stronger consolation So much for the first of the meanes by which God will deliuer his people in affliction The second and more principall followeth His truth shall be thy shield and buckler BY the truth of God is meant the truth and faithfulnesse that is in all his promises or the truth of his promise and truth in his word He that hath promised is faithfull but if I would know how much he hath promised to whom and vnder what termes I must bring all my considerations to his word as to his onely or best seale and standard By it al his truth is allowed as vnder seale and measured truly as at a iust standard and this truth is one with the word or with Gods truth in his word Iohn 17.17 Also this truth is called the godly mans shield buckler because it is as a shield buckler vnto him against al the arrowe-heads thrusts of affliction so wardeth the blowes of those crosses that come in the Pestilence in sicknesses in malicious enemies in other troubles of bodie or minde that they shall not strike him to death or turne him to hurt taking in his defence by faith the promise and truth of God for his shield and buckler So the meaning is they that keepe within the compasse of Doct. 1 Gods sure word can neuer take hurt And it teacheth that the truth of God b Lam. 3.22 cannot faile and what he hath promised shall bee done Blinde Balaam in his Parable could say shewing how true God is alway of his word hath he said it and shall hee not doe it as if he had said may it be that Gods words and deedes should not meete or will any beleeue that he cau say one thing and doe another or if he lack not will doth he want power to doe as he saith for hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it shall any thing hinder his purpose or weaken his power So where by Hosea the Lord saith I am God and not man Hosea 11.9 what can his meaning be but that being God hee changeth not like one of vs and repenteth not like man In Malachi he putteth himselfe to the triall asking the sonnes of Iacob if it were not so for he saith I change not and yee sonnes of Iacob are not consumed Malac. 3.6 as if he had said I promised not to consume you and you can tell I haue kept promise with you for ye are not consumed to this day so I change not your selues being iudges Now as God repenteth not so his gifts and calling that is the peculiar endowments of his elect linked together vnseparably in their saluation are without repentance that is are neuer taken from them Rom. 11.29 And he that hath promised is faithfull I. Cor. 10 13. saith the Apostle his meaning is that he is not at times but alway so or alway iust in word and euer faithfull Mens promises are yea and nay his promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 when it is said it is done if he speake the word but wee say and vn-say and so say and doe not The reasons Reason 1 It is sealed that God is true and Christ speaking of himselfe as God saith I am truth Iohn 3.33 and Iohn 14.6 that is to be true or rather to be truth is of his being and therefore to denie his word is to denie himselfe but God cannot denie himselfe and therefore God cannot but keepe his word Reason 2 Secondly God cannot breake by vnfaithfulnesse Rom. 3.3 for he is righteous nor be hindred by weaknesse for he is Almighty 1. Ruth 21. Apoc. 1.8 He promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and all the rebellions of his children could not make him to falsifie his word but at the time appointed they received the promises and inherited the land so he promised Israels deliuerance from Aegypt and returne from Babylon and hee brake not an houre with them and when the fulnesse of time came that God should send his sonne he sent him Gal. 4.4 and when it was time he should come he came as he kept touch with Abraham for a sonne Genes 21.1 so hee kept his word truly with vs for the sending of his owne sonne Reason 3 Thirdly God when he sweareth sweareth by himselfe not only cause he hath no greater to sweare by but because hee changeth not as an oath is immutable Heb. 6.18 An admonition not to distrust God any way where hee hath Vse 1 giuen his word for our safetie and welfare for if it be intollerable to discredit an honest man in his word how intollerable is it to call Gods truth into question If then God haue promised to those that feare him that nothing shall bee wanting vnto them Psal 34.9 let not such doubt in the wants of many to bee prouided for In the wildernesse he plowed the heauens for his children and fed them with the bread of heauen Psal 78.24 so they that followed Christ were fed by miracle in
crummes of Gods mercie vnder the table which the children had at the table in plentifull teaching and strange miracles as in a full seruice there And so by this little being thankfull for a little she held Christ as in the chaine of his word to giue her more Math. 15.27 Saint Luke sheweth that Christ reproued some who told him of the Galileans whose bloud Pilate had mingled with their owne sacrifices Luke 13.1 because they stroke others in the application as sinners with the seueritie of that horrible death not themselues verse 2. But Iob a man of another spirit and taught in a better schoole feared to do euill because hee set Gods punishment before him which was fearefull and God in Maiestie from whom none could deliuer him if he would plague him Iob 31.9.11.23 The reasons The threatnings and promises of God are laid downe generally Reason 1 in the word is it not that Christians might make their vse of them by particular faith as Iudges in ciuill matters make vse of the Law by applying it to the offending or innocent persons case for punishment or praise Secondly life eternall standeth in this that we know the true God Reason 2 to saluation Ioh. 17.3 and who can know him so that maketh not first some proper vse of his power to humble him and of his goodnesse to raise him Reason 3 And if thirdly no medicine can worke that is not applyed not potion do good that is not taken then from the like wee may conclude that the wrath o◠the Law not feared and promises of the Gospell not apprehended can do no man good to true life Vses Vse 1 An instruction when the hand of God is heauie vpon vs in Famine Pestilence losse of cattell or other losses and Plagues temporall to trie our hearts by the word how these things haue humbled vs and whether in an holy despaire of all power in our selues to helpe our selues they haue turned vs to God from whom commeth our helpe Lam. 3.40 at all times we should particularly apply to our selues the threatnings written in the Law to humble vs but specially when the Lord himselfe enforceth them by some seuere chastisements as lately he did and beginneth to do againe A traueller when he hath lost his way will examine himselfe where he went out and returne So should wee do that trauell with iniquitie in this doubtfull vale through earth to heauen And because when we should go Eastward to the Gospell many of vs go Westward to Poperie or Atheisme and in stead of going forward to heauen go backe to hell ô how should we examine as by the booke our daily flips and turnings out of the way not forgetting where we mistooke by any errour of our life seeking speedily to recouer the path of righteousnesse Iob 42.5.6 That that maketh the common Passenger so carefull of his way is his feare to loose it If we that are Christian Passengers were as suspitious of ours our care would be greater to hold it and God should not be driuen to hedge vs in sometimes with burning thornes as with the Pestilence sometimes with troubles of other nature Hos 2.6 Vse 2 An item to those who cannot abide to lay iudgement to the rule nor righteousnesse to the ballance Esay 28.17 but make a wanton vse of Gods mercies and no vse of his threatnings Deut. 29.19.20 If he send health they vse it as a weapon against him by an impenitent and carnall life if he send sicknesse they waxe furious or senslesse and then let him take health and let him take all If he furnish their table they abuse his full table to all wantonnesse and wickednesse if he draw their table by a sparer diet of fruites and graine neither is God remembred nor sinne thought of If Pestilence be sent they hide themselues in vaine refuges not in any sound repentance from it Prou. 22.3 and when it is remoued what do they but call for it againe by sinning as much if not more stubburnly and in a greater height then euer For since the quenching of the last great Pestilence which in the yeare 1603. as a great fire consumed in London and about the Citie of London thirtie sixe thousand eight hundred sixtie and two and in some weekes two thousand yea three thousand and some odde hundreds a weeke I say since this fearefull sword of Plague was put vp what good effects do we see of that mercy of God in the liues of townes-men or country-men since Is not all forgotten as if such a thing had neuer bene in Citie or Village wee haue bene remembred euery yeare since but with warnings of another kinde and yet who considereth So much for the Proposition confirmed by the Prophets owne example the further application of it followeth VER 3. Surely he will deliuer thee from the snare c. HEre the Prophet applyeth that to the faithfull for their assurance wherewith he had resolued his owne hopes before which he doth by a more particular recitall both of the troubles that may befall them and of the meanes that God will giue for their safe being in them and happie issue out of them In this third verse he speaketh of the great affliction out of which God will bring them and in the next of the manner how and meanes whereby he will do it the affliction that he speaketh of is the Plague of Pestilence which is first figuratiuely described and then plainly without figure For the Angell of iustice which the Lord had sent into Iewrie to smite downe the people with the sword of Pestilence 2. Sam. 24.16 17. is here compared to a Fowler and the Plague with which he smote them to a Net The Angel is compared to a Fowler because like a mighty hunter he ranne swiftly or rather flew throughout the land destroying in a very short time threescore and ten thousand that died of the Pestilence from Dan to Beer-sheba Frō North to South b verse 15. The Pestilence it selfe is called a Snare or Net because it came suddenly vpon the people as the snare vpon the bird taking them eating drinking walking sporting or in their beds fast asleepe that is thinking of nothing lesse then of a change so hasty and neare Where the Angell that was sent is called a Fowler that layeth snares The Doctrine is Doct. 1 When God is minded to punish with Pestilence or otherwise a rebellious Nation flying will not serue For whither shall we go from his Spirit and whither shall we flee from his presence Psal 139.7 Nothing can hide from God not heauen aboue for there is his presence nor hell beneath for there is his power ver 8. from the top of Carmel to the botome of the sea there is no couer nor hiding from him Amos 9.3 He that fleeth shall not flee away and he that escapeth that is thinketh he hath so done shall not be deliuered ver 1. It seemeth that people Priests in the dayes
of Amos whē the Prophet threatned them from the Lord with some vniuersall destruction did lie downe in vaine refuges which they sought out not turning to God by repentance And these thought they should be safe enough whatsoeuer could come and that he that sent these threatning snares before him in his iudgements proclaimed and alreadie working should not by them take them out of their priuiledged holes to destruction But Amos tels them that wheresoeuer they should be hid God would find them and though they vsed his owne Temple for the couer of their iniquities yet he would breake in by his iudgements and smite the dores and shake the postes of the same till there was no resistance the last of them or they that held out longest and therefore had more hope and could make better shifts then others should be slaine with the sword that is haue the same reward from the Almightie in destruction that those others had So Edom that would dwell in the clefts of the rockes that is in sure places as he thought or in places farre from the reach of God found that there was no hiding from him Obad. 3.4.6 And enter into the rocke saith Esay to a people rebellious a people that like rebels in a land take some strong Castles and hold them against the lawfull and right Soueraigne of the countrie yet there is no rocke of escape to runners from God Esay 2.10 And the high looke of Man shall be humbled and the haughtinesse of men abased and God onely exalted in that day verse 11 that is Man shall bee pulled out of his holes of shifts and God shall pull him out of them by some Plagues in the day of his affliction The reasons God is euery where and his power in all places Reason 1 as well in the Countrie as in the Towne hating sinne as much and deadly in Countrie-men as in Townes-men he can goe ouer the Land nay the whole world in farre lesse time then we can go from our seates to the Church-dore He can reach vs goe wee neuer so farre and soone ouer-turne vs striue we neuer so much Let it be Pestilence that he sends sinne is the fire of it in our bosomes to destruction which will goe with vs whither soeuer we remooue not remoouing from it that is from sinne the cause of it It is sinne that setteth his wrath on fire in the burning Pestilence or any other Plague and if it beginne to burne one way or other hee neede not fetch the coles of it from any other fornace then from that of the corruption which is in our owne flesh Secondly if God will doe a thing what can hinder him and Reason 2 who can resist his will Rom. 9.19 for what he will doe he will doe Esay 46.10 then if he haue a purpose to punish sinne and the sinne be not repented of that he hath a purpose to punish what creature or helpe mortall shall deliuer it What can change his minde that is inuincible and correct his thoughts that are absolute Thirdly the end of all Gods visitations and of this by Pestilence Reason 3 is to amend sinners or to punish them with death if they will not be amended and therefore if wee meane not to leaue our sinnes it can little auaile vs to leaue our places and to keepe our sinnes An instruction to confesse the Lords power and how easie it is Vse 1 for him to auenge himselfe of vs when wee haue prouoked him by our sinnes The Apostle maruelleth that sinners dare be so ventrous and hardie as to prouoke him that is so much stronger then themselues and therefore saith doe we prouoke the Lord to wrath that is would one beleeue that so poore wormes as we are durst tempt one that is so high and mighty as God is to treade vs downe to destruction or are wee stronger then he as if he should say hath any man found it so and not the contratie And if it be so then we must take vp with sinne if we would haue him to take vp with vs and pleade with him by repentance if wee would not haue him to pleade with vs by his iudgements but let vs not put off thus to compound our matters till hee sweare there shall be no more time by sending out those writtes that must be sealed with our bloud In Dauids Kingdome seuentie thousand perish 2 Sam. 24.15 but how by a little swelling in the flesh in how short time some thinke in one day and God could haue done it in one houre but if it were not done in one day it was certainely all done in lesse then three and how many the Text saith as hath beene said seuentie thousand men God can make his Hoast of the least of his creatures against vs and if by these he send for our foode who shall keepe it or if by these or the weakest of these hee send for our selues who shall saue vs who can water the earth if he restraine the bottels of heauen or shut the windowes of heauen If he make sicke who shall make whole but he that maketh sick and maketh whole What balme at Gilead what Physitian there can doe vs good if hee bee against it or except he doe it that is the Physitian of Israel Ier. 8.22 Deut. 32.39 Euery breath of God and euery creature made by God and armed by him is able to turne our bodies to dust and our thoughts to confusion yet so confident wee are of our little and proud of our nothing that we will neither know God nor our selues him in his power to humble vs nor our selues in our weaknesse to rise by him Vse 2 A reproofe of those who when a place is visited by the Plague of Pestilence repose their safetie in flying from that place but not from the sins of that place for which God in that visitation hunteth both them and it as if the swift Fouler of Israel had not his Net of Iustice in all places to cast ouer such carnall straglers and as if it were the place not the sinne of the place that he meant to visit But where God becommeth the Hunter and sinne is preserued as the game that he pursueth there is no aire so pure nor place so free and cleare that hath not snares of infection in it if the place were not infected the breath of such were sufficient to infect it and what other hope is there but that such corrupt and loose mates must needes poison with their sinnes the freshest and most sanguine aires Therefore if Pestilence bee sent the way to auoide it is to auoid all that grosse and foggie aire of sinne that smiteth with it and vapours of corrupt life that cause it otherwise let vs be in neuer so good an aire and dwell neuer so wholesomely so long as sinne is in vs vnrepented of there is matter enough for the Pestilence or any other iudgement that God shall send But the Plague of
and least thought of death euen then this infectious arrow pierced to the heart The summe of all is When God sends the Pestilence or any other iudgement in some haste to a land or priuate place it cometh as an arrow out of a bow Where we learne that Gods messengers and seruants sent in Doct. 1 this deadly sicknesse or any other visitation for sinne are swift and vnresistable For the Pestilence our selues do know how soone it is taken how small a matter brings it with how little a winde it comes and how suddenly it passeth to the head and pierceth to the heart Seuentie thousand in lesse then three dayes and in a land not very large died of it 2. Sam. 24.15 So Exod. 12.29 when God would shew his power by death vpon the great armie of the King of Ashur he smote by an Angell in one night an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand Esay 37.36 At another time he slue three and twenty thousand in one day 1. Cor. 10.8 And because Herod would not giue glory to God he was presently smitten by an Angell in all his glorie Acts 12.23 The reasons He that so quickly made man of the dust Genes 2.7 can as Reason 1 quickly turne man vnto dust and for the Pestilence or any other destruction if he speake but the word and how soone is a word spoken it presently comes He is the Centurion of this great hoast of all the creatures If he say to one go he goeth and to another come he cometh Math. 8.9 Psal 105.16.31.34 Secondly he can send by his Angels that swiftly execute his Reason 2 commandements and as it were flie about them Psal 103.20 or he can command the diuels who in an instant commanded by him can as well corrupt the aire with Pestilence as the riuers with bloud Psal 78.44.49.50 Thirdly God hath power and may command and commanding Reason 3 lackes not authoritie and will be heard An admonition speedily to turne to God who is able so speedily Vse 1 to turne vs to destruction Ioel 2.12 For should we not meete him with an armie of prayers who can come against vs so quickly and so strong with armies of death in the Pestilence and other innumerable diseases Luke 14.32 He can send to vs by flying messengers and shall we not seeke him by speedie repentance Amos 5.6 It is not long since his arrowes flew among vs and he yet hath his quiuer full of them to trouble our aires againe and with a fresh charge to shoote at vs by the contagious Pestilence in Towne and Countrie should we not therefore dread to make God our aduersarie or being made our aduersarie by sinne should we not agree with him quickly Mat. 5.25 who can so quickly destroy vs if we stand out proudly against him If he finde disorder and impenitencie in our houses or selues he can visit for it with flying arrowes and punish it when he is disposed with present death and should not this constraine vs to expell sinne and iniquity euery priuate person out of himselfe and euery faithfull publick person out of his familie and gouernment should it not moue the Christian housholder christianly to order both himself and others vnder him whether children or seruants by the word bringing them to Sermons more carefully and more orderly to prayers at home for how soone God can take vs away wee haue heard how quickly he will we know not also should it not perswade the publick Magistrates with the sword of his office not lightly to pare away but vtterly to cut off all proud and rotten sinnes that abound yea soundly to correct to a reformation all publick and grosse both enormities and offendors as swearers drunkards fornicators prophaners of the Sabbath disobedient to Parents and authority with such like seeing he beareth not the sword in vaine Rom. 13.4 Vse 2 A terrour to those who haue no hope but in long life for death may come they know not how soon and it commeth suddenly to many and when it is come it will not be answered with an I pray thee haue mee excused Luke 14.18 If we be not ready it will take vs as we be and when it knocketh if we will not open it will cast vs open The godly preuent this hardning by liuing so that is so repentantly and holily during their short time here that when the flying arrow of death sent from the hand of their supreame Lord shall make toward them they are euer in fit state to meete their Sauiour To such present death is prepared death as it was to Simeon and Anna who waited for Christ in the Temple Luke 1 25.36.3â— and they cannot dye suddenly that dye so Contrarily the carelesse and they that put off death by turning these flying into creeping arrowes can haue no such hope in their death which commeth as a theefe to their house Matth. 24.43 and not as a Messenger to bid them to the Supper of the great King Luke 14.17 They will not vnclaspe with the comforts of their deare life for the toilesome life of mortification and precisenesse in Gods seruice for they are lustie and strong Therefore their death cannot be good nor comfortable but irkesome and violent of which they are ouercome not yeelding to it as the Saints but mastered by it as they who say with Iulian Galilean thou hast preuailed so hee spake of Christ and so speake they of God when they find he is stronger then they A reproofe of those who when God shoots the infectious Vse 3 arrow of Pestilence at a Towne or City promise to themselues safetie because they dwell farre off because that part in which they inhabit is free or because they dwell in the Countrie and not in the Towne For cannot God reach them wheresoeuer they dwell in the East or West Is his arme shortened Doth any arrow misse that he shoots and he that went progresse from Dan to Bersheba in a running plague and in lesse time then three dayes can hee not in few houres goe a little way and visite further from a Towne then fiue sixe or seuen miles where is their safetie then in such a case but in turning to him that threatneth them And how can they auoide this arrow but by watching still the fall of it in their penitent liues Neither is this only true in the arrow of the Pestilence but in euery arrow of his quiuer if he shoot at vs by enemies by mortalitie of men by murraine of cattell or by cleannesse of teeth and leannesse in all our quarters what can ward any of these arrowes but repentance and our turning to God He that will auoide an arrow must turne the face and not the backe vnto it and hee must looke toward God and not from him by impenitencie that will reconcile him A further description of the Pestilence followeth Verse 6. Nor for the Pestilence that walketh in the darknes VVEe haue in this Verse two effects more whereby this
all his waies nor how good he is to them nor how great his power is for them and prouidence ouer them Let them consider this who meane to liue and die in their ignorance and doubt not but they may and do loue God as well or better then most of these Scripture-men doe It were strange they should hauing no meanes of louing him comparable to these and they may as well perswade themselues and tell others that they can and doe loue the Man whom they neuer saw before neither heard of as much or better then that man in whose house and from whose hands they haue receiued innumerable kindnesses and fruits of loue but who will beleeue it so who will beleeue that they that are meere strangers to God by ignorance that are not brought vp in his house as his children are that liue at home with their father nor see his kindnesse in his word and benefits as they daily doe nor grow vp in his presence by the nursery of religion which maketh the godly partakers of the diuine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 should as freely and truly loue God as his houshold children can and which is incredible better then the most doe that haue their education from him and breeding vnder him by his word and Sacraments An admonition to the godly so much as they desire to loue Vse 2 God so much to secke to know him for so much knowledge so much loue they that are contented with sleight knowledge can loue but slâ—ightly Hence it is that some in the Gospell hauing tasted how good the Lord is goe from strength to strength till they appeare before God in Zion Psal 84.7 that is at Church in the assemblie or as it was foretold by Dauid runne to and fro that knowledge may abound where others finding no such delight in the banquetting house of Gods graces though the Arke of teaching be placed neere them in a Preachers mouth as in the Tabernacle thereof will take no paines and haue no desire to come vnto it Dauid danced with all his might before the Arke 2 Sam. 6 14. for Dauid was bred in the knowledge of God by his Testimonies but scornefull Michael despised him for it verse 16. for Michal was brought vp in Sauls Court where God and the knowledge of God were great strangers They that in the captiuity knew Ierusalem preferred her and the God in her to their chiefe ioy they that knew not Ierusalem neither Ierusalems-God said in her day raze it raze it to the foundation thereof Psal 137.6.7 So they that know God and his goings in the Sanctuarie Psal 68.24 will loue his presence in the beautifull assemblie the spirituall Babylonians that know neither him nor them will neither seek the Lord nor his face Psal 105.4 but calling Iacob the cast-away and Zion the place which no man seeketh after Ier. 30.17 cast of God and his reuerence and when they should sit vnder the Preachers chaire set themselues in the chaire of scorners and so become rather despisers of God then louers and followers This would be thought of before the decree come forth Zeph. 2.2 that when it is sealed with Plagues for sinne by Pestilence warres dearths in the Land or some other way we may be spared with those that loue the Lord vnfainedly Now is the time to seeke to know God that we may sinde to loue him and when other dayes shall come those times will bee rather for our reioycing then discomfort because we haue obeyed and loued him or because wee haue publikely at Church and priuately at home serued him honoured him in his word and reuerenced him in his Sacraments profited by his counsels and turned at his corrections Quest But some may say Quest how shall we attaine vnto this knowledge of God that we may loue him Answ I haue told Answ and Salomon tels you that you must seeke it that is vse much industry and paines to get it Prou. 2.4 or seeke it as you would seeke for siluer which you will readily do and search for it as for treasures which you will nor faile to doe It is a iewell and wee must thinke none so good Now what paines will a man take to find a iewell and what care to keepe it more plainefully should we seeke this iewell and more deepely hide it in our hearts then all iewels Matth. 13.44 If then we meane to be owners of this excellent iewell of heauenly knowledge we must cry for it by prayer call or enquire after it by conference seeke it by reading search for it by meditation and incline by hearing to it then shall we find knowledge and vnderstand the feare of the Lord Prou. 2.2.3.4 The last duty followeth and diuers promises also made to the doers thereof VER 15. He shall call vpon me c. BEfore it was said that he who loued the Lord with faith and knew him by his testimonies and word should be deliuered it is now further added that he that wil obtaine so great fauour must keepe the path of the meanes vnto it and call in prayer if he will be answered by deliuerance But this must not bee euery kinde of prayer as appeareth by the ioyning together the sentences but that prayer or strong cry of the heart in prayer that is ioyned with knowledge and standeth in loue that is he that will pray with hope must both know the Lord confessing his goodnesse and loue him with relying on his truth For in the law the blind and lame were reiected Mal. 1.8 So now the blind sacrifice of ignorant prayers and the lame of praying weakely and without the affection of confidence in God are no reasonable seruice of him Gods children speake with vehemency saying Abba Father or twice father and not softly as afraid but loude with assurance for they cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 knowing that what God hath pledged to them by his promise he will not violate Also they pray with vnderstanding knowing that all that pray not with knowledge pray with losse For they cannot watch the successe of their prayers nor tell how they speed not knowing what they prayed for And without this experience who can bee thankefull and without thankefulnesse what can the hope be but losse Hâ— that is not thankfull for an old good turne looseth a new and therefore prayers in a tongue that men vnderstand not such as the prayers of the ignorant in times of Popâ—ry were are prayers of hinderance not of comfort or profit The Doctrine therefore that ariseth from this context is they Doct. 1 that will pray aright and with good assurance must know God and loue him But I passe it as not being in the Text and because inough hath been spoken of it already That which these words directly aime at is that they they that will be deliuered must vse prayer the meane of deliuerance And this Prayer is a calling vpon God to wit in Christ darkely then plainely now then to come now