Quest Iesus Christ Yea S. Iohn saith t 1 Ioh. 2. 22. Who is a lier but he that denieth that Answ Iesus is the Christ And Iude saith u Iude 4. There are certaine men crept in vnawares who were before of old ordained to this condition vngodly men turning the grace of our God into laciuiousnesse and denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ And Christ is denied three wayes By Infidelity Christ is denied three manner of wayes Heresie and Apostasie First Iesus Christ is denied by Infidelity Infidels 1 By Infidelity Pagans Heathen men doe not know God nor acknowledge Iesus Christ The Turks vtterly deny Iesus Christ yea despise Christ so that they persecute Christians that professe the name of Christ And therfore their religion is a false religion and the worshipping of God a false worship because they worship God out of Christ for S. Iohn saith x 1 Iob. 2. 23. Whosoeuer denieth the Sonne the same hath not the Father The Iewes also to this day deny Iesus Christ For although it be true that they expect the Messias and looke for Christ to come yet they deny that Iesus Christ which was borne of the Virgin Mary and suffered vnder Pontius Pilate is the Messias this they constantly deny And to deny this is to deny Iesus Christ As S. Iohn also saith y 1 Ioh. 2. 22. Who is a lier but hee that denyeth that Iesus is Christ Againe S. Iohn saith z 1 Ioh. 4. 2 3. Euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God And euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God Thus Infidels Turkes and Iewes deny Iesus Christ Secondly Iesus Christ is denied by heresie Heretikes 2 By Heresie deny Iesus Christ by erring from the truth some denying the natures and some the offices of Christ First concerning the natures of Christ 1 Denying the natures of Christ his God-head and Man hood The Person of Christ is one in which there are two natures the God-head and Man-hood of Christ whereby Christ is God and Man true God and perfect man as he is the Sonne of God he is true God equall to the Father for S. Iohn saith a Ioh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God And as he is the sonne of man he is true man for as the Apostle saith b Heb. 2. 16. Hee tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seede of Abraham And these two natures of Christ the God-head and Man-hood make but one Person CHRIST God and Man And these two natures are not turned one into another neither are they separated and diuided one from another nor confounded one with another but these two natures are vnited together by an Hypostaticall Vnion Which c Vnio est personalis non personarum naturarum est vnion non naturalis sed omninò supernaturaliis Pola Synt. t. 2. l. 6. c. 16. Vnion is personall but it is not a vnion of persons and it is a vnion of the natures of Christ but yet is it no naturall vnion but altogether supernaturall And notwithstanding that these two natures of Christ be vnited togethed yet are they distinguished there remaine in one Person Christ two distinct natures the God-head and Man-hood so that the God-head of Christ hath all the essentiall properties belonging to the diuine nature and the Man-hood of Christ retaineth all the naturall properties which are properly belonging to the humane nature But contrary to this receiued truth concerning the natures of Christ certaine Heretikes haue risen who haue denied some the God-head of Christ as d Ruffin lib. 1. â— cap. 1. Arrius who denied that the Sonne of God was of the same substance with the Father who was condemned by the first e Concil Nicaen 1. Niceno Councell where it was concluded and decreed that Christ the Sonne of God was f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruff. liâ— 1. cap. 5. of the same substance with the Father equall to the Father touching his God-head Some Heretikes haue denied the true Man-hood of Christ g Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 27. Apollinarius held that Christ did not take a true body of the Virgin Mary his mother but that hee had it from eternity h Euagr. l. 1. c. 2. Nestorius diuided the natures of Christ the God-head from the man-hood who was condemned by the i Concil Ephesin Ephesine Councell And Eutyches another Heretike confounded the natures of Christ affirming that Christ after the assumption of the humane nature had no more two natures but one who was condemned by the k Concil Chalced. Chalcedon Councell Now these Heretikes and all that hold of their part in that they deny either the God head or the Manhood of Christ in that they either diuide or confound the natures of Christ they erre from the true faith of Iesus Christ they doe not beleeue aright concerning the incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ And in that they deny the God-head or Man-hood of Christ in that they diuide or confound his natures they deny Iesus Christ And as Heretikes haue erred from the truth touching 2 Denying the offices of Christ the natures of Christ so also some haue erred from the truth concerning the offices of Christ The offices of Christ are three for he is CHRIST that is anoynted a King a Priest and a Prophet to his Church The errours concerning the offices of Christ are in the Romish Church true it is the Romists in words confesse Christ to bee a King a Priest and a Prophet yet in deede and in truth by their doctrine and practice they deny his offices for confirmation heereof Of First concerning the regall or kingly office of Christ 1 A King we hold that Christ is a King and therefore hath absolute rule and power ouer his Church hee rules in the hearts and consciences of men by the scepter of his Word and by his boly Spirit hee onely hath power to make lawes to binde the conscience but contrary to this the Church of Rome holds that the Pope hath power to make lawes to binde the consciences of men and that in things pertaining to l Bellarm. de Pontif. lib. 4. Faith and Christian life Secondly for the Priesthood of Christ they confesse Christ as we doe to be a Priest for euer after the order of 2 A Priest Melchisedech but yet oppugne the Priest-hood of Christ specially in three things First by offering in the Masse an m Bâ—llar de sa-Miss lib. 5. vnbloody sacrifice for sinne and this is done often whereas the Apostle saith n Heb. 9 28. Christ was but once offered to beare the sinnes of many Againe he saith o Heb. 10. 10. Wee are sanctified through the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once for all
a Phil. 1 27. the Gospell of Christ And this of the first generall knowledge of God CHAP. VIII Shewing that there is one onely true GOD against Idolatry THe second generall knowledge of God is to 2 To know that there is one onely true God Acknowledging the Vnity of the Godhead and Trinity of persons know and acknowledge that there is one God and three persons in the God-head to acknowledge the vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of persons the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and that euery one of these three persons is God to know and acknowledge that God the Father is of himselfe from euerlasting that the Sonne is begotten of the Father by eternall generation and that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne to beleeue that God the Father created the world that God the Sonne redeemed mankinde and that God the Holy Ghost sanctifieth the Elect. This is the generall knowledge of the one onely true God And this generall knowledge of the true God is attained vnto not by the lâ—ght of Nature nor by the works of the Creation but by the Scriptures The knowledge of the true God commeth by the knowledge of the Scriptures for the Scriptures doe shew vnto vs both the Vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of persons That there is one God Moses sheweth saying a Deut. 6. 4. Heare ô Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. Dauid also speakes thus b 1 Chro. 17. 20 O Lord there is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee And S. Paul saith c 1 Cor. 8. 4. Wee know that an Idoll is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one And concerning the Trinity of persons S. Iohn saith d 1 Ioh. 5. 7. There are three that beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one The consideration of this generall knowledge of Vse God to know the one onely true God serues to reprooue Against Idolatry the Worshippers of Idols who though they know and acknowledge that there is a God yet doe not either know the true God or knowing the true God doe not worship him aright but worship false Gods and giue vnto creatures the worship which belongeth to the Creator Wherefore Chrysostome vpon those words of our Sauiour Christ e Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God Hath these words f Solum verum Deum ad eorum qui Dij non sunt dâ—fferentiam inquit Chrys in Joh. Hom. 79. Two-fold He saith the only true God to put a difference betweene the one onely true God and those which are no Gods Let vs take a view of the kindes of Idolatry and then wee shall see plainely who are heere iustly to be reprooued Idolatry is twofold The one externall The other internall Externall or outward Idolatry is also two-fold 1 Outward Idolatry Two-fold The one is that open manifest and grosse Idolatry of the Gentiles of Heathen men which knew not God and therefore worshipped Idols false gods instead of 1 Open plaine Idolatry the true God For rather then any Nation would be altogether without a God they would worship those which were no Gods as S. Paul describes the Idolatry of the Gentiles g Rom. 1. 23. And changed the glory of the vncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and foure-footed beasts and creeping things And a-againe he saith h Verse 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie worshipped and serued the creature more then the Creator who is blessed foreuer Whether the Gentiles did worship false gods or the image of their false gods or any similitude or image of the true God all was Idolatry Of the false gods of the Heathen Dauid saith i Psal 96. 5. All the gods of the Nations are Idols but the Lord made the Heauens And of all the images of the false Gods Dauid also saith k Psal 115 4 5 6 7 8. The Idols are siluer and gold the worke of mens hands they haue mouths but they speake not eyes haue they but they see not They haue eares but they heare not noses haue they but they smell not c. They that make them are like vnto them so is euery one that trusteth in them And as for the making of any image or picture of the true God it is plainely forbidden for Moses straightly chargeth the children of Israel that they make no similitude of God l Deut. 4. 15 16. Take good heede vnto your selues for yee saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire lest yee corrupt your selues and make you a grauen image the similitude of any figure c. The other kinde of externall or outward Idolatry is 2 Close Idolatry a more close and couered Idolatry pretending the worship of God this is the Idolatry of the Church of Rome the Idolatry of Papists who although they know and acknowledge the true God and worship the true God yet because they do not worship him after a right manner but otherwise then God hath appointed in his Word they commit Idolatry The truth of this I confirme by the consideration of the manner of Gods worship apointed vs both in generall and particular Touching the first The Rule of Gods worship prescribed vnto vs in generall is that m Ioh. 4 23 24. The true Worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth But the Romish Church howsoeuer it may pretend the true worship of God in spirit truth yet they of that Church haue deuised strange worship no where commanded in Gods Word neuer approoued of God and that is to bow downe before an Image made for religious vse which is a plain breach of the second Commandement And it helpes them nothing to say that they worship Obiect not the Image but God in the Image for this was the Idolatry of the Heathen they worshipped their Heathen Answ gods and their Images but the Heathen were not so foolish as to thinke that the Image of Iupiter was Iupiter himselfe but they worshipped Iupiter their god in his Image so the Israelites who had learned Idolatry of the Gentiles worshipped God euen the true God in the image of the golden Calfe for they sayd n Exod. 32 4. These be thy gods â— Israel which brought thee vp out of the land of Aegypt Now the Israelites were not so voyd of vnderstanding to thinke that the golden calfe which Aaron had made was the God of Israel but they worshipped God in the golden calfe The truth is there 's little difference of Idolatry whether wee worship the Idoll or God
saith therefore 1 Mourning and desolation shall the land mourne c. Againe he saith q Verse 6. My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge Secondly where the knowledge of God is not men are giuen ouer to a reprobate minde to doe things that 2 A reprobte minde are not conuenient This S. Paul sheweth speaking of the Gentils r Rom. 1. 28 29. Euen as they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge God gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient being filled with all vnrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse couetousnesse maliciousnesse full of enuy c. Thirdly to them that know not God there remaines 3 Punishment nothing but iudgement punishment and euerlasting destruction as saith the Apostle Å¿ 2 Thess 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from Heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power The fourth thing concerning the knowledge of God 4 Meanes wherby we may come to the right knowledge of the true God is the meanes whereby wee may come to the true knowledge of God That there is a God may be knowen as hath beene already shewed by the light of Nature and by the book of the Creatures and that there is one true God is manifest by the Scriptures the Word of God reuealeth the Vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of Persons but to the attaining to the right knowledge of the one only true God by a particular knowledge to know him to be God vnto vs to acknowledge the one onely true God to bee our Lord and our God as hath beene formely more fully declared there is required more then the light of Nature more then the booke of the Creatures and more then bare knowledge of the Scriptures for this particular knowledge of God is attained vnto partly Two by the Word of God and partly by the Spirit of God the one being an outward the other an inward 1 By the Scriptures meanes to teach vs the true knowledge of God The true knowledge of God then is attained vnto First by the Scriptures and that both by the Law and the Gospell For t Per Legem cognitiopeccati nostri per Enangelium cognitio gratiae Dei Zanch. de Natu. Dei lib. 3. cap. 3. By the Law as one saith wee come to the knowledge of our sinnes and of our misery by the Gospell we come to the knowledge of the grace and mercy of God shewed vs in Christ Iesus According to that saying of S Iohn u Ioh. 1. 17. The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ And to the end that wee may come to the true knowledge of God by the Scriptures there are foure things necessarily required at our hands And that by First that we diligently read the Scriptures concerning 1 Reading the Scriptures which our Sauiour Christ hath sayd x Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee This was the practise of those noble Bereans who hauing heard Paul preach vnto them Iesus y Aâ—ts 17. 11. searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Secondly that wee carefully and attentiuely heare 2 Hearing the Word of God the word of God preached Eor * Rom. 10. 17. Faith as saith the Apostle commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Our Sauiour saith z Ioh. 17. 8. I haue giuen vnto them the words which thou gauest mee and they haue receiued them and haue knowne surely that I came out from thee and they haue beleeued that thou didst send me In which words he sheweth three things first he gaue them his Word secondly they receiued it and thirdly by the Word of God they knew God and Iesus Christ whom hee had sent Thirdly that wee seriously meditate vpon the Word 3 Meditating vpon the Word of God which we haue read or heard Dauid saith a Psal 119. 99 I haue more vnderstanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation By meditating vpon the Word of God he got vnderstanding and attained to the true knowledge of God Fourthly that we ioyne vnto all these deuout praier 4 Praying for a blessing vpon these meanes crauing the blessing of God in reading and hearing the Word and meditating vpon the same Thus the knowledge of God is attained unto by the Scriptures Secondly the true knowledge of God is attained vnto 2 By the Spirit of God through the gracious working of the Spirit of God in our hearts for God must first put it into our hearts to know him before wee can know him As the Lord speakes by Ieremy the Prophet b Jer. 24. 7. I will giue them an heart to know me that I am the Lord. Againe hee saith c Ier. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Our Sauiour Christ saith d Ioh. 6. 45. It is written in the Prophets and they shall bee all taught of God This is called e Cognitio per gratiam Tho. 1. q. 12. ar 14. knowledge by grace or gracious knowledge because it is wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God the Worker of grace as the Apostle also saith f 1 Cor. 2. 7 8 9 10. We speake the wisdome of God in a mystery euen the hidden wisdome which God ordained before the world vnto our glory Which none of the Princes of this world knew c. But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither haue entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him But God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirit This of the particular knowledge of God Now the consideration of the great necessity of the Vse knowledge of God and the benefit thereof with the danger of the want thereof and the means of obtaining it serues for reprehension and it reproues First those who content themselues with the generall 1 Against those that content themselues with a generall knowledge of God knowledge of God that there is a God that there is one God that God made all things that God is to bee worshipped c. but are not carefull to come to a particular knowledge of God to know God to be their God and so to know God as to beleeue in him to feare him and to loue him to trust in him and to depend vpon him But if we would be saued and come to euerlasting life we must labour to attaine to a particular knowledge of God for the bare generall knowledge of God will not saue vs for
and cruell dealing he is greatly dis-liked of his fellow seruants and iudged by his Lord to be a wicked seruant and worthie to be deliuered to the tormentors till he should pay all his owne debt This of forbearing wrongs Secondly a Christian is to shew his patience in forgiuing 2 In forgiuing wrongs and iniuries wherein he is to consider First the wrong doer Secondly the wrong done First for the wrong doer a Christian ought alwayes 1 The partie that hath done wrong to be so patient as to forgiue the partie that hath done him wrong so our Sauiour teacheth vs by precept i Luk. 6. 37. forgiue and you shall be forgiuen And by example for he himselfe prayed for his enemies k Luk. 23. 34. father forgiue them Yea we are bound not onely to forgiue our enemies but freely to forgiue them euen from the heart For sayth our Sauiour l Mat. 1â— 35. so likewise shall my heauenly father doo also vnto you if ye from your hearts for giue not euery one his brother their trespasses Secondly for the wrong done we are to obserue these 2 Concerning the wrong done rules First if the wrong be of the least sort of wrongs and iniuries then it is a mans wisedome and discretion to passe by it as Solamon counselleth m Pro. 19. 11. the discretion of a 1 To passe by small offences man deferreth his anger and it is his glorie to passe ouer a transgression Secondly if the wrong and iniurie be somewhat greater 2 In greater wrongs to clear our own innocencie and then to put vp the wrong drawing with it some little offence to a mans bodie goods or good name but be not of the highest degree of wrongs a man in such a case ought first to labour to cleere his owne innocencie and when he hath as much as he can cleared himselfe then he is to sit downe with the wrong and patiently to put it vp an example hereof we haue in our Sauiour Christ the Iewes said vnto Christ n Ioh. 8. 48. 49. Say we not well that thou art a Samaritane and hast a Deuill Iesus answered I haue not a Deuill but I honour my father and ye doe dishonour me Here the Iewes speake disgracefully and disdainfully of Christ thou art a Samaritane and they raile on him thou hast a Deuill now Christ our Sauiour being thus wronged by the wicked tongues of the people how doth he behaue himselfe towards them Doth he raile on them as they did on him No. Doth he seeke any meanes to be auenged on them for the â—â—ong done No. But what did he The first word of disgrace thou art a Samaritane as being of the least sort of wrongs he passed ouer said nothing of it but to the other thou hast a Deuill he answered for himselfe I haue not a Deuill that which you speake against me is vntrue I haue not a Deuill for I honour my father and you doe dishonour me He cleareth himselfe of the false accusation and putteth vp the wrong committing himselfe to God that iudgeth righteously This is the behauiour of a Christian concerning lesser wrongs and iniuries Thirdly for wrongs and iniuries of the greatest sort 3 Concerning the greatest wrongs and iniuries a man may lawfully vse the benefit of law so that it be done ma lawfull manner and highest nature such wrongs as doe neerly concerne a mans person touch his life concerne his estate and greatly tend to the vtter defaming of him a Christian is not bound â—ightly to passe ouer such wrongs but may lawfully defend and seeke to right himselfe by lawfull meanes as before a Magistrate so that he proceede in a lawful manner in his course of law obseruing those rules formerly prescribed That the Magistrate is the ordinance of God and therefore may lawfully be sought vnto S. Paul proues both by word and practise for he sayth of the Magistrate that o Rom. 13. 2. 4. he is the Minister of God to thee for good and he is the Minister of God a reuenger to execute wrath vpon him that doth euill And Paul himselfe when the Iewes laid manie and grieuous complaints against him which they could not proue p Act. 25. 10. 11 appealed to the iudgement seat of Rome there to be iudged before Caesar Thus I haue shewed that we are patiently to suffer wrongs and iniuries and how our patience is to shew it selfe when wrongs and iniuries are offered vs and that in all the degrees of wrongs Which serues to reproue diuerse sorts of people First those who will forbeare verie little or no wrong Vse at all neither in word nor deed that wil put vp no wrong 1 Against priuate reuenge nor suffer any iniurie but are readie to reuenge euery wrong to render euill for euill like for like one euill word for another and one euill deede for another Contrarie to the rule of the Apostle q 1. Thes 5 15. see that none render euill for euill to any man This reuenging of a mans owne cause rendering euill for euill is brutish and beast-like for so doe beasts gore one another and so doe dogges grinne one at another barke at and bite one another Reasons to disswade from reuenge But thou that wilst needs be auenged on thy aduersarie consider with thy selfe O man what thou doest For first by reuenging thine owne quarrell thou doest 1 Reuenge more enrageth the aduersarie more enrage thine enemie more stirre him vp to anger and wrath and bitternesse against thee Secondly in reuenging thine owne cause thou vsurpest He that reuengeth his owne cause vsurpeth Gods office Gods authoritie thou takest vpon thy selfe Gods office for it is Gods office to right all wrongs he is the righteous Iudge as sayth the Apostle r Rom. 12. 19. Dearly beloued auenge not your selues but rather giue place vnto wrath for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Thirdly A man that auengeth himselfe on his enemie is like vnto the dogge that runs after the stone that 3 Be auenged rather on thine owne sinnes is cast at him barkes and bites at the stone and regardeth not the hand that cast the stone the cause of strife and dissension is from the Diuell the Diuell casts some stone of dissention to cause a man to be offended and for a mans owne sinnes God of times raiseth vp some aduersarie against a man to vexe and trouble him that he may humble him Doe not thou then with the dog malitiously set thy selfe against thine enemie seeking to be auenged on him but let thine eies looke to the hand that cast the stone humble thy selfe before God for thine owne sinnes which haue deserued that the stone should be cast at thee and in any case auenge not thy selfe but commit thy selfe and thy cause to God that iudgeth righteously Secondly this doctrine of patience in suffering 2 A gainst
soules Consider with your selues that y 2 Sam. 12. 16. Dauid a King fasted mourned when his child was sicke and lay all night vpon the earth that z Esth 4. 4. 16. Esther a Queene fasted and did neither eat nor drinke three daies night nor day and that a Luk. 2 36. 37. Anna a woman of great age serued God with fastings and praiers night and day But where is our fasting or where shall we finde one of an hundred fasting truly after the right manner and to the â—ight ends that can say with S. Paul I haue bene b 2. Cor. 11. 27. Infastings often or can say with Dauid c Psal 109. 24. My knees are weake through fasting and my flesh faileth of fatnesse Some hope to excuse themselues from fasting saying each one for himselfe though I cannot fast yet I can pray but tell me not of thy deuotion in praying except thou canst also tell me of thy daily abstinence and of some time set a part for the taming of thy rebellious flesh and bringing vnder thy bodie by fasting for fasting is as hath bene declared a great helpe and furtherance to prayer and therefore where abstinence is not vsed and fasting neglected there doubtlesse praier either is not or is verie weake cold and formall And this of Fasting as it is a help and furtherance to praier CHAP. XX. Of the Third help and further ance of prayer Diuine Meditations GOdly Meditations are a third help and furtherance to our praiers which I will make manifest 3 Diâ—ine Meditations considered two waies First in generall Secondly by a particular enumeration of sundry profitable meditations For the First All godly meditations are a helpe and 1 Generally furtherance to our praiers as appeareth by the words of the prophet Dauid saying a Psal 39. 3. 4. My heart was hot within me while I was musing the fire burned then spake I with my tongue Lord make me to know mine end c. and againe he saith b Psal 77. 1. I cried vnto God with my voice euen vnto God with my voice he gaue eare vnto me But before he called cried vnto the Lord he declareth what thoughts meditations he had he c Ver. 3. remeÌ„bred God he could not sleepe for thinking vpon God he d Vers 6. 7 8 9. Communed with his owne heart his spirit made diligent search wil the Lord cast off for euer wil he be fauourable no more c. To this agreeth the saying of the sonne of Syrach e Ecclus. 39. 1. He that giueth his mind to the law of the most high and is occupied in the meditations thereof will seeke out the wisdome of all the ancient c. and it followeth f Vers 5. He will giue his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him and will pray before the most high and will open his mouth in prayer and make supplication for his sinnes Thus holy and diuine meditations generally considered are a helpe and furtherance to our praiers Secondly that diuine meditations are a great help 2 Particularly Twofold furtherance to dâ—uout praier I will manifest by the particular enumeration of sundry diuine meditations which I reduce to these two heads Godly meditations concerne either God or Ourselues 1 Concerning God Threefold Those that concerne God are of three sorts The first concerne his nature or Attributes The second his word The third his workes Touching the First The consideration of the attributes 1 Concerning the Attributes of God as of God may stirre vs vp to Inuocation either to pray to God or to praise God as First when we thinke vpon the eternitie and immortalitie of God the consideration of this that God is eternall 1 Eterniue of God and immortall that he is euerlasting without beginning and without ending may raise our thoughts to thinke on the life euerlasting which the eternall and euer-liuing God hath prepared for his elect and then to pray that we may liue eternally with God in his eternall and euerlasting kingdome Secondly when we meditate on the power of God 2 Power of God consider that he made the world of nothing and that he doth what soeuer it pleaseth him both in heauen and earth this should teach vs to pray that we may depend vpon Gods prouidence for the things of this present life because God is al sufficient to pray that in time of trouble we may waite vpon God for deliuerance because he is a God of might and power able to doe all things yea and to pray that we may feare that powerfull God to seeke to please him and to glorifie him both in our bodies and in our solues because he is g Mat. 10. 28. able to destroy both soule and bodie in hell Thirdly when we meditate on the iustice of God and 3 Iustice of God consider how iust the Lord is in all his waies that he is a iust God hating sinne and iniquitie and punishing the transgressors h Exod. 34 7. That will by no meanes cleare the guilty i Nahum 1. 3. And will not at all acquit the wicked the consideration hereof should mooue vs to pray that we may alwaies k Psal 4. 4. Stand in awe of his maiesty and not sinne against him lest we prouoke his wrath and indignation against vs. Fourthly when we thinke on the mercy of God and 4 Mercie of God consider with our selues that God is l Ioel. 2. 13. Gracious and mercifull this meditation should moue vs to pray that the Lord would be gracious and mercifull vnto vs that he would shew mercie vpon vs and pardon our sinnes as Dauid prayeth m Psal 51. 1. Haue mercy vpon me ô God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Fiftly when we thinke on the patience long suffering 5 Patience of God and forbearance of God considering how long we haue liued in our sinnes how often we haue done wickedly and still the Lord hath shewed his patience and long suffering and waiting for our repentance hath forborne to cut vs off in our sinnes then we should pray that this n Rom. 2. 4. Goodnesse of God in forbearing vs might be a meanes to lead vs to repentance Sixtly when we thinke on the wisedome of God and consider how wisely the Lord hath made all things and 6 Wisdome of God how prudently he ruleth and gouerneth the world this meditation should bring vs into admiration of the Lords wisedome and cause vs to lift vp our hearts on high praising the Lord and saying with Dauid o Psa 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all Thus the deuour soule may be carried aloft in heauenly meditations concerning these and the rest of the Attributes of God and in all he may be stirred vp
sometime the same things which we desire the praiers of the righteous that he granteth them their requests and giueth them euen the same things which they desire and aske according to his will Secondly sometime God heareth the praiers of the righteous and yet granteth them not the same things 2 He granteth not the same things which we desire but some thing else better for vs. which they required but in stead thereof giueth them something else which God in his wisdome knoweth to be more expedient and better for them Paul being tempted praied against the temptation that earnestly for he saith x 2 Cor. 12. 8. 9. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me And he said vnto me My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakenesse When Paul was troubled with that y Vers 7. Thorne in the flesh had the messenger of Sathan to buffet him when he was tempted prayed thrice that is often against the temptation the Lord did not altogether free him from the temptation yet the Lord heard him in that he gaue him his grace to resist the temptation and strength to stand against the assaults of the Deuill So Christ our Sauiour when he was in his agonie praied and that earnestly with z Heb. 5. 7. Strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was heard in that he feared The Apostle saith that Christ prayed and was heard and yet we know that Christ suffered death and the cup did not passe from him but he must needes drinke of it how Obiect then was he heard when he praied that the cup might passe from him seeing he did drinke of the cup and was not deliuered from death but suffered death I Answere First Christ praieth a Luk. 22. 42. Not my will but thine Answ be done and as one saith b In hoc siquideÌ„ quod dicebat Non quod ego volo sed tua voluntas fiat ex auditus est Cart. in Mat. 26. He was heard in this that he said not as I will but as thou wilt Secondly when he was in his agonie and prayed earnestly to his Father that the cup migh be remooued from him c Luk 22. 43. There appeared an Angell vnto him from heauen strengthening him So that although he suffered death yet he had strength and comfort from heauen and so he was heard Thirdly the manhood of Christ in suffering was supported and strengthened by the god head and though he suffered death yet he had admirable strength from the diuine nature to endure the vnspeakeable wrath of God and to beare the heauie burthen of our sinnes and so he was heard This is the First benifite that we haue by praying vnto God God heareth our praiers and granteth our requests The Second benefite which we receiue by praier is 2 Praier is a great help in trouble Considered Two waies aide and succour help and deliuerance in time of trouble for praier is the best help and the most present remedy in all trouble this I manifest two waies proouing First in generall that praier is a help in all troubles Secondly that praier helpeth vs in particular troubles which befall vs in the course of our life For the First Praier is the best the surest and readiest 1 Generally help in all trouble d Psal 50. 15. Call vpon me saith the Lord in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee e Iam. 5. 13. Is any man among you afflicted saith S. Iames let him pray The Psalmist saith f Psal 46. 1. God is our refuge and strength a very present helpe in trouble Salomon saith g Prou. 18. 10. The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe And the seruants of the Lord haue found this true by experience for when they haue bene in trouble they haue runne vnto the Lord and cried vnto him for helpe and they haue bene helped and deliuered so Dauid acknowledgeth saying h Psal 18. 6. In my distresse I called vpon the Lord and cryed vnto my God he heard my voice out of his Temple and my crie came before him euen vnto his eares Againe he saith i Psal 142. 4. 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me no man cared for my soule Then he saith I cried vnto thee ô Lord I said Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the liuing Thus in generall the Scripture sheweth that Praier vnto God is a readie and present helpe in trouble and that when all other helpes faile Secondly in particular troubles and afflictions Praier 2 Particularly as is the best help as First it is the best helpe in time of warre to deliuer vs from the danger of the enemie and to saue vs from the 1 In time of warre perill of the sword in such a case it was Hezekias helpe against the King of Assyria for when Sennacherth King of Assyria sent a blasphemous railing letter to Hezekiah King of Iuda k Isa 37. 14. 15. c. Hezekiah went vp into the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed vnto the Lord. And the Lord heard his praier and sent a Prophet vnto him to comfort him and also sent an Angell to fight for Israel against the Assyrians which l Vers 36. smote in the campe of the Assyrians a hundreth and fourescore and fiue thousand By this meanes was Hezekiah deliuered from the hand of his enemies For as one saith m Verè caelâ—stis est aâ—mâ—tura dâ—precatio quae Deo â—â—anditur Cloys dâ— crando Deum l. 1. supplication made vnto God for deliuerance is indeede heauenly armour Secondly Praier is the best help in captiuitie and seruile bondage in the like case it helped Manasseh for 2 In captiuitie being carried captiue to n 2. Chrâ— 33. 11. 12. 13. Babylon when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his Fathers and prayed vnto him and he was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his kingdome Thirdly prayer helpeth much in time of famine this 3 In famine is the promise of the Lord to his people saying o Isa 41. 17. When the poore and needie seeke water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will heare them Giuing vs to vnderstand that if in time of famine and scarcitie the people shall pray vnto the Lord he will heare them and helpe them in their need Fourthly in time of plague and pestilence Praier is a 4 In the plague and pestilence great preseruatiue for the Lord saith p 2 Chro. 7. 13. 14. If I send pestilence among my people if my people which