cause of his double Appellation here in this place it was the feare of the Apostles that infused it selfe into them and the earnest desire that they had to be deliuered from their imminent danger was that that made them double their speeches vnto him Master Master What wee heartily wish for we often repeate Helpe Helpe we cry in time of danger Rescue Rescue in time of distresse So is it here with our Apostles in this place in this time of feare when the storme raged and the seas went high Volvuntur vt aequora montes as the Poet speakes one billow tossed them vp as high as heauen and another suddenly drenched them in the botome of the deep When life almost had quite forsaken them and death was ready to seize vpon them then they cry vnto him Master Master Qui nescit orare discat nauigare saith the Latine Prouerbe if there be any so pampred here vpon the land as I am afraid many thousands there are that haue forgot their duties vnto the Lord neuer think of him but when they borrow his name to sweare by let them go to sea and if they bee not past grace quite so that they haue not as the Apostle speakes Cauteriatam conscientiam a seared conscience that can feele no touch of remorse hee shall bee taught once a day at the least to call vpon the name of the Lord. And they came vnto him and awaked him saying Master Master we perish Our life though it be in a dangerous place as Saint Ambrose telles Quam diu in salo isto tam diu inter naufragia so long as we liue in the sea of this world so long also wee are in continuall danger of shipwrack to be spoyled and we our selues doe continually so ouercharge our soules and bodies both with sinne as that euery day we presse deeper and deeper towards the bottomlesse pit of hell Yet such is the friendship that is contracted betweene the body and the soule by the long familiarity and acquaintance each of other as that they are loath to part and leaue each others company They desire to continue longer together if longer it might be and they care not what shifts they vse for the enioying their desire That made Saint Peter to deny his Maister because hee thought it would call his life in question And all the Disciples for feare of death withdrew themselues from our Sauiours company because they saw those friends must part that had liued so long combined together Terrible and fearefull it is vnto man to thinke of the dissolution of soule and body Anima absoluitur corpus resoluitur as Saint Ambrose speakes where the soule is freed and set at libertie the body againe resolued into the first principles This is that which the natural man cannot endure to heare of and therefore vpon the very thought of it hee is ready with the Apostles to cry out for helpe Master Master wee perish indeed But yet this was not the onely cause though of their crying out in this place though that might helpe to set an accent vpon it for they knew that there was a necessity by nature laid vpon thē once for to dye Intrasti vt cocires was a condition annexed to our creation We must make roome for others as well as others before haue done for vs. And so much the Heathen Poet could say Omnes vna manet nox calcanda semel via lethi they must not thinke much to vndergoe that which all are enioyned necessarily vnto Equalitie is the chiefe ground-worke of equitie and who can complaine to be comprehended where all are contained especially when they shall consider the extraordinarie benefite that death shall bring with it viz. the taking away of sinning any further Death it was once laid vpon man as a punishment for sinning quo die comederis c. what day soeuer thou shalt eate of the forbidden fruit thou shalt certainly dye Death there is appointed as the punishment to sinne but now it is giuen as a benefite and remedy vnto man to keepe him from sinning any further Morere ne pecces dye soone that thou mayst not sinne more against thy maker Quod tunc timendum fuit vt non peccaretur nunc suscipiendum est ne peccetur saith S. Aug. what was once feared is now a benefite vnto mankinde But the feare of eternall death was that that did amaze them more then any of the other particulars spoken of before To perish both in body and in soule and that eternally too this is that that would make thē awake him quickly To perish when they were but Semi-christiani halfe Christians like Agrippa in the 26 of the Acts Act. 26.28 thou perswadest me almost saith hee to Paul to bee a Christian to perish when they were but newly initiated into the Schoole of Christ before they knew the mysteries belonging to their saluation necessarily was that that made them cry out aloud They were ignorant in the fundamentall poynts for the Holy Ghost doth testifie of them in diuers places That they knew not the Scriptures that they vnderstood not that saying of his that they knew him not yet to bee the Messias and then how fearefull a matter it was for them to dye vnresolued you your selues by your selues may easily iudge This feare here of eternall perishing made them cry so earnestly to bee deliuered from the feare of death Maister Maister we perish in our bodies but which is fearefull to be thought vpon also we perish euerlastingly in our soules in hell In our bodily conflicts here vpon the earth either the sence of paine is quite taken away by death or else if our nature bee strong and lusty it soone in wrestling ouercomes the paines of death but in this second death the death of the soule the griefe remaines for euermore that so our nature might be afflicted without any end and our nature indures also that for euer it might bee punished in the endlesse flames for transgressing against so infinite a God neither shall faile neither nature nor paine that so both may bee eternall vnto the wicked The first death doth separate the vnwilling soule from the body but the second death keepes the soule though much vnwillingly for euer in paine together with the body from which paine God for his Christ Iesus sake keepe vs all Amen And so we are come to the finall conclusion of these same words Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water and they ceased and there was a calme Hitherto our Sauiour hath beene patient in these troubles and rested himselfe quietly in these stormy gusts both of winde and water but now he begins to bee a Master indeed and takes vpon him both the bridling of the one and of the other he rebukes the winde and appeases the raging of the troubled water and at his rebuke they both cease and there is a calme But before we come to the appeasing of this
of them for he made them all Dixit facta sunt saith the Psalmist he spake but the word and all things were made hee commanded and they stood all fast hee did but speake the word let the earth bring forth her increase and also the waters and presently both earth and sea they were replenished with all manner of varietie Brevis sermo sed valde vehement saith Saint Ambrose a short speech it was indeede saith hee that God spake but yet withall it was a speech that was full of power the efficacie of that speech it brought forth the greatest as well as the least creatures and in the same time too for in the same time the whole was made that hee was making of a Frogge Non laborat in maximis Deus non fastidit in minimis saith Saint Ambrose God saith hee did not labour in the making of the greatest things nor yet contemne the making of the meanest hee made all things by his power and therefore worthily is Master of all Was hee not worthy to bee Master of Man as well as of other Creatures when hee made such diuers and contrarie Elements for to meete together in one and the selfe same body and accord in one Fire and Water Aire and Earth Heate and Cold and all in one and the selfe same place and yet hath so tempered them together as that one is the defence and maintenance of the other Nay more then this saith Saint Bernard Mirabilis societas In man hee hath made a wonderfull societie for in him Heauen and Earth Maiesty and Basenesse Excellencie and Pouertie hee hath matched together What is higher then the spirit of life What is baser then the slime of the earth his soule it was infused into him the spirit of life his body it was made of the dust of the earth This was that that made Gregorie Nazianzen to break into that same exclamation of himselfe what great and wonderfull miracle was within himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I am litle and yet I am great I am humbled and yet I am exalted I am mortall and yet I am immortall I am earthly and yet I am heauenly little in body but great in soule humble as being earth but yet exalted aboue the earth mortall as he that must dye immortall as he that shall rise againe earthly as whose body was taken from the earth heauenly as whose soule was breathed feom aboue And will not all this then make him well deserue the Name and Title of Master amongst vs Yes But here hee hath a double Title Master Master What of that Why hee hath a double Mastership he was their Master Iure creationis by the right of their creation but much more Master Iure redemptionis by right and title of their redemption when man had lost himselfe and defaced that glorious image that God at the first had left within him then came our Sauiour Christ Iesus in a mercifull Redeemer and reconciled his Father and Man together againe Henceforth let vs not repine at the fall of our Grand-father for Christ our Sauiour hath made satisfaction for it Was he cast away for the price of an Apple Why yet he is redeemed for a great deale lesse he was redeemed in meere loue and pitie The sixth day of the weeke as it is thought Adam fell for it is thought that he fell the same day that hee was made the sixth day of the weeke againe Adam and his posteritie were redeemed from death The same day that he fell he was redeemed And as God in the beginning rested on the seuenth day so Christ our Sauiour saith Saint Augustine sabbatizanit in monumento kept holy the Sabboth euen in the graue to teach vs to make more account of that day then the world vsually doth in these our times For for all that belonged vnto the saluation of man he finished that vpon the crosse before his departure hence when hee cried Consummatum est all is finished Ioh. 19.30 Iohn 19. Then all was performed that was requisite for vs and hauing finished his worke he rested as securely in his graue as the most secure man of vs all doth rest in his bed And in this redemption which he so kindly performed for vs there are two things especially to bee considered of vs Modus and Fructus the manner and the fruit of our redemption The Manner it was wonderfull Exinanitio Dei saith the Apostle the emptying of God the fulnesse of all things The emptying of him I say and that in three regards First into the flesh Secondly vnto the death Thirdly lastly vnto the death of the crosse O who can worthily esteeme these three as hee ought to do his worth his humilitie his loue vnto mankinde That the God of all Maiesty should be cloathed with the garment of humane flesh That hee should consent to dye and that hee should dye so miserable and cursed a death Here speech must faile vs and our safest eloquence must bee admiration Let vs sometimes in the feare of God call our selues to account for these things and thinke what great things the Lord hath done for euery one of our soules and then let vs be ashamed at our owne vnthankfulnesse againe that he being Lord of all became obedient and seruant for the very worst of vs Of being rich in all things became poore and miserable in most that were necessary That of the word he became flesh Of the sonne of God that he should become the sonne of base and mortall man Let vs remember that though at the first we were made of nothing yet that afterwards we were not redeemed of nothing In sixe dayes at the first God made heauen and earth and all things that in them were contained but in the redemption of Man our Sauiour was three and thirty yeares and vpwards a working of it vpon the earth O how much in that time did he suffer for our sakes The necessities of the flesh the contempt and scorne of the world the temptations both of the Diuell and of mankinde Can wee thinke that pouerty in all that time did not oppresse him nor shame did not touch him nor yet the wrath and anger of his Father any whit amaze him Certainly certainly beloued the least of all these did touch him neere and the greatest that was the fury of his Father did make him make that lamentable cry vpon the Crosse the like wherof was neuer heard in Ages before nor euer shall be heard againe vnto the ending of the world My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet thus O Lord didst thou worke the saluation of Man and wonderfully towards him hath beene thy loue Let vs thinke of these things seriously let vs thinke of them often and then I make no question but we shall thinke we haue great reason to think him a double Master vnto vs. And they came vnto him and awaked him saying Master Master But yet the
the lilley and heere in martyrdome there is rednesse as the rose the Church it has both her lillies and her roses to adorne her beautie Martyrdome it is termed by the auncient Fathers a fire which God suffers to be kindled heere vpon the earth to the tryall of man and so S. Aug. cals it where speaking of Martyrdome hee sayes Inventus est ignis qui vnum ditet alterum damnificet ambos probet behold saies he heere is a fire found out which shall inrich the one and damnifie the other but yet proue both the godly and the righteous it shal inrich with eternall happinesse but the wicked and the reprobate it shall consume to dust and ashes it shall try both throughly what mettall they be made of But in the tryall this shall be the comfort of the godly man that he shall not be left desolate in this furious flame visitat deus in carcere suos ibi plus est auxilij vbi semper plui est periculi saith S. Amb. God he will not forsake but come to visit his when they lie in the dungeon as he did his seruant Ioseph and still where there is most daunger there still hee will bee sure to affoord most ayde and comfort and the reason of it we neede not much wonder at Mat. 25.43 when as in the 25. of Math. he does professe it himselfe that he himselfe it is that is so handled in his members in carcere eram visitastis me I was in prison saies he and ye came vnto me if then he wil be with them in their torments in prison then surely at the stake he will not be absent but there hee will assist with all meanes needefull I there hee has beene knowne to haue beene present indeede with many of our land and many yet at this day are left aliue which can testifie the sweetnesse that the Martyrs felt in the midest of these flames how ioyfully they imbraced that death of theirs And no maruaile neither though they died with vndaunted courage when the sence of pain was taken quite from them Nil crus sentit in neruo cum manus est in coelo sayes Tertull. the sinewes saith he of the hand can feele but little paine I trowe in the flame when the whole hand before is in the bosome of the Lord then so many woundes they are but so many open mouthes to caroll out the praises of a mercifull God and so much for this second Accident there came downe a storme of winde vpon the lake c. The 3d. and last Accident followes and they were filled with water and were in ieopardy Hitherto we haue heard as our Sauiour Christ speakes himselfe in the 13. of Mar. a rumor of warre Mar. 13.7 but thankes be to God wee haue felt no warre wee haue heard a noise of the winde but now wee are come to the trouble of the water The Apostles heere they were not as sometimes their forefathers were Exod. 14. in the 14. of Exod. in the red sea but now they are come in marimortuo they are ouerwhelmed in the dead sea their liues are called in question They were filled with water saies the text and they were in ieopardie To be in a storme and gust of winde there is no great matter of moment in that many a poore soule amongst vs has indured many of them and done well after them all too and many dayly wee heare doe indure their rigour but when their ship is foundred with water vnder them when life and soule are ready to shake hands and depart this present world then it is high time to cry out for helpe vnto the Lord Serua nos domine perimus help master or else wee all perish They were heere in a great extremity they were filled with water and they were in ieopardy Saint Peter in the 12. of the Acts Acts 12.4 he heard a loud storme and a terrible blustering winde when in prison hee was clapt vp by Herod at the request of the Iewes his life was threatned too but Saint Stephen in the 7. of the Acts Acts 7 58. hee was in the showre when such a showre of stones were rained vpon him that euen in the first moment he gaue vp the ghost The noyse then heere of the water it is the tumult of the people for beloued there is a great affinitie betweene these two the water and the people and to shew how neere the one comes vnto the other the Psalmist Psal 65.7 in the Psal 65. in one verse there he ioynes them both together which stillest saies he the raging of the sea and the noise of his waues and the madnesse of the people Their tumult it is so great as that hee can liken them to nothing else but to the sea in his rage which beares downe all that does withstand it Acts 14.5 Paul and Barnabas they were in a tempest in the 14. of the Actes when they were so despightfully vsed by the Iewes at Iconium as that they looked euery minute to haue their liues taken away from them but Saint Iames he was wet with the showre when his head was taken off by Herod and his body wallowed in his owne bloody gore Acts 12. Acts 12.2 The Deuill he is the author of these gustes and stormes for he sends them downe from his ayrie mansion where he rules and domineeres Ephes 2 2 Ephes 2. and by his boistrous blasts still seekes to crosse the proceedings of the Lord wee may euen see it in Christ our Sauiour how he seekes to thwart and hinder his courses Has God sayes he anoynted him with the oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes I will see if I can anoint him again with the oyle of sadnesse aboue his fellowes has hee beene baptised with water and the holy Ghost I will prouide for him another baptisme namely of fire has God sent downe the holy ghost in likenesse of a Doue and caused it to light vpon his head then I will cause tribulation and a crown of thorns to crown his temples as wel as it has there a voice come from heauen saying this is my beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased then I likewise will prouide a voice for him from the foote of the ladder which shall say if thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse and saue thy selfe Thus still he is contrary vnto God in his courses raises his stormes to the hinderance of the Gospell and if he haue done thus in Christ our Sauiour then what may wee expect which be his members surely the vtmost of perils that his wit can inuent Yet this may be our comfort in our troubles that howsoeuer our afflictions be yet the Deuill has not the rod in his owne hands but the holy ghost to order and direct them still as may best serue both for his glory and our good And as for the Deuill he has bound him fast
milke but it endes with a hammer they all shall finde it that list to proue it The best way that I know to be rid of this enemy is not to haue at all to doe with it to sequester our selues as much as wee can from the affaires of this world and to place our hearts there where one day wee may safely inioy them againe let our soules like Eagles mount aloft flie aboue the Cloudes and seate themselues in the highest heauens and there we are sure they shall be most safe To meddle with this worldly mucke it is but to insnare our selues with foolish vanities The bird that often stoupes in her flight at one time or other she is intrapped before shee bee aware of it either she is caught with a lime-twig by the wing at vnawares or else she is fast by the feete in the net or one way or other shee is betrayed to her ouerthrow so the soule that lookes downeward vpon euery baite at the length it is insnared before it is aware and subiected vnto the vanities of this world The best way therefore to rid vs of it is not to haue to do with it but keepe our selues aloft whither it cannot ascend Sursum cor qui sursum habes caput saith Saint Aug. As our eies were frame at the first to looke vp into heauen so let our heartes learne to seate themselues there and then we shall be sure to be quite of this enemy Hee is a third way besieged by the deuill a sworne enemy vnto all Mankind and hee is the most dangerous of all other enemies For where as all other enemies haue but one onely way to intrap vs in viz. craft and subtlety this aduersary hee hath many he is both Callidus and Potens both a subtle and a slie insinuator of himselfe in into vs and withall hee is a mighty and a potent aduersary against vs. For the first his craft and subtlety it is Greg. Naz. his note of him that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an admirable Counsellour deepe and pollitique in his deuises and euery course that he shall perswade vs to it shall seeme like vnto Achitophels counsell 2. Sam. 16.23 2. Sam. 16. as if a man had enquited at the Oracle of God and to further his deuises that they may not seeme to be without successe he will as in ancient time vnto King Saul appeare vnto vs vnder Samuels Mantell 1. Sam. 28.14 that we shall not thinke it to be he but rather God himselfe that speakes vnto vs. But we must learne to beware of his close treacheries and that we may be the more sure of him and not lull our selues asleepe in carelesse security but be as vigilant to preuent as he is diligent to ouerthrow Naz. tels vs in another place that we must be sure to keep a priuy watch about vs continually for that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a night-thiefe as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a noone-day deuill and will come craftily stealing on vpon vs before we be aware of him nay when as we are most secure then is he most busily casting about and plotting against vs so that day and night both in our labour and in our quiet wee must be sure to haue a vigilant eye to him wards And for the second his Might and Power it is very great wee must fight saith Saint Paul Ephes 2. Eph. 2.12 aduersus principatus potestates against Principalities and Powers nay against the Prince and God of this world Ioh. 12.31 for so Saint Iohn stiles him in his 12 Chapter and 31 verse where he saith Now is the Prince of this world cast out hee hath whole Nations his attendants and followers as we may see Iob. 1. Iob. 1.17 the Sabaeans and Chaldaeans and to speake truth what nation is there vpon the earth wherein his power and might is not acknowledged So that wee may safely say that which the Iewes in the 12. Ioh. 12.19 of S. Iohns Gospell sayd of our Sauiour Ecce totus mundus behold the world indeed doth nothing else but runne after him so that worthily he may be feared for his puissant Army besides his owne inuincible courage Psal 22.14 which the Psalmist in the 22 Psalm likens vnto a ramping and roaring Lyon terrible and fearefull for the assault it selfe So that there must be great heed and diligence vsed against this enemy indeed hee being in the first as Nazian teacheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crafty Sophister and teacheth men what himselfe neuer learned And in the second saith S. Basil he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ouer powerfull aduersary in both kindes fearefull in the one for his slights in the other for his force And as hee is both thus subtile and strong so is hee also of a working temper his nature it is proportionable vnto his name Beelzebub Muscarum Deus is his name in Scripture the God of Flies who though you flap him away neuer so often yet hee will flye to the same place againe he will neuer leaue vs so long as we be here if his storme will not quell vs yet hee will try what the raging of the water may effect vpon vs he is restlesse in his plots and if one temptation will not hurt vs yet another shall be sure to assaile vs Esa 42.3 and the quenching of the smoaking Flaxe and the breaking of the bruised Reed is still the marke that he leuels at Esa 42. Si auaritia prostrata est exurgit libido saith S. Bernard if greedy couetousnesse will not seize vs yet hee will try what itching lust may effect vpon vs is lust repelled yet ambition may chance to strike a great stroake with vs is ambition quenched yet anger perhaps may put vs out of our Bias is wrath appeased yet enuy shall trouble vs is enuy forgotten yet iealousie shall affright vs. And thus restlesse hee followes vs with all his inventions so that no maruaile if the Disciples were so fearefull when such traytors were within them such enemies without them such weaknesse on all sides for to hold out long such stormes of winde aboue such raging seas beneath that then they came vnto him They came vnto him euen at the last gaspe when the windes blew and the seas beate when their ship was ready to founder vnder them and they as ready to take their oathes all to bee deaths true seruants then they came vnto him saith my Text. The Heathen they were somewhat strange in their resolutions and when hope seemed desperate then scorned they any longer to hope for it and it was one of their chiefe wishes and a great ease as rhey thought vnto their miseries to bee swallowed vp quicke and deuoured of death as the Apostles here were like to be from which kinde of death we do in our Lyturgie earnestly pray to bee deliuered that as God would deliuer vs all from vnprepared death so hee would deliuer
vs likewise from sudden and vnexpected death because that commonly sudden death and vnprepared death they goe both together we cannot liue so warily here not the best of vs all but if God should take vs vpon the present wee might haue many things obiected against vs which we would bee all willing should be concealed in that great and generall day of Iudgement God grant vs all time of repentance here hee grant vs also that wee doe not mis-spend that time that he giues vs but in it heartily repent vs of our sins that so in the last and finall day of iudgement we may all haue that blessing pronounced vpon vs that the Prophet Dauid pronounceth vpon all the righteous Psal 32. Beatiquorum remissae sunt iniquitates Psal 32.1 blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sin is couered Then blessed shall they be vnto whom the Lord will impute no sin And as for those who thinke they liue so warily as that they are alwayes prepared for death let them stand vpon their owne innocency and haue no part in this prayer of ours The heathen I say they thought it a happinesse to haue a sudden death to light vpon them and so Plinie in his seuenth Booke and 53. Cpapter wisheth that that might bee his lot and the Poet is not farre behinde him when he saith Mitius ille perit subita qui mergitur vnda Quam sua qui liquidis brachia lassat aquis He dies easier saith he who at the first dop doth lose his life then hee that in swimming doth struggle to drawe breath But wee that are Christians wee must resolue our selues on the contrary opinion their ignorance it was that caused them to wish for it but we we know besides the manner of death we know I say of a great account which euery one of vs is to make when this life shall be ended a matter that the Heathen scarce euer dreamed of where wee must make answere not onely for those sinnes of old age which the Prophet in the 38 of Esay Esa 38.15 calles annos sinnes of yeares sinnes of great standing but as the Psalmist speakes in the 25 Psal Delicta inventutis Psal 25 7. sins of wanton and recklesse youth and not onely those neither but in the 19 Psalme Psal 19.12 for secret sins that is saith S. Augustine in his Confessions for the sinnes we haue committed in our nonage before we knew either good or euill that we may haue the fewer inditements preferred against vs in that great and generall day of iudgement therefore wee desire respite for repentance here in this world which God grant vs all Amen They came vnto him but how Non passibus sed precibus saith S. Augustine not so much by their earthly paces though we must conceiue that euen in those they hasted vnto him as by their winged prayers they poasted towards him they praied vnto him for had they not humbly supplicated as well as run vnto him they might all very well haue perished in the furious tempest To pray it is naturall for Man and so much Aristotle by the purblinde eye of nature could see Natura sairh he inseruit homini vt sacrificet Man by nature saith hee is made a continuall Beades-man vnto his maker alwayes to haue recourse vnto him and this propertie of nature grace hath confirmed from time to time in the righteous man to haue recourse vnto his Maker so Dauid in his distresse in the 68 Psalme Psal 68.16 when he is in-girt and compassed in about with his many enemies he turnes himselfe vnto the Lord Exaudi me Domiue heare me O Lord saith hee for thy louing kindnesse is good turne vnto me according vnto the multitude of thy tender mercies and hide not thy face from thy seruant for I am in trouble heare me speedily and draw nye vnto my soule and redeeme it deliuer me because of mine enemies c. So good Iehosophat in 2. 2. Chron. 20.13 Chron. 20. he saith cum ignoremus quid agere debeamus when we know not O Lord saith he what to doe then our eyes they are vpon thee And so S. Peter wishes that they alwayes should be 1. Pet. 5. Cast all your care vpon him for hee careth for you and if at any time they should haue recourse vnto God then most especially in their troubles and aduersities when mens soules are brought low vnto hell then they should call vpon his name heartily indeed and then aboue other times hee expects to bee called vpon Psal 50. Psa 50.15 Call vpon mee saith God in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me whereupon Saint Augustine notes that it is Gods Memorandum vnto men to call vpon him Voce te saith hee vt inuoces me behold O man saith hee I put thee in minde of it if thou haue forgotten that then aboue all other times thou haue recourse vnto me Nay many times Almighty God doth lay afflictions and troubles here vpon men that they might bethinke themselues of their Prayers and flye vnto him in their sore distresse We may easily see the course of it By aduersitie God brings men first into a doubt and feare and then by feare into an acknowledgement of their owne necessitie and weaknesse and so consequently into a despaire of succour in themselues and by despairing in their owne meanes to thinke of meanes that may bee profitable vnto them and so at the last to the consideration of Gods vnspeakeable loue and kindnesse to them-wards And out of this againe considering that his mercie is great and his goodnesse from euerlasting hee raiseth vs vp againe to an assured trust and confidence in his mercies and out of this confidence wee are bold to make our Prayers and Petitions vnto our Father And therfore if either voluptuousnesse or anger or pride or any other sin shall be ready to attempt vs our refuge onely must bee to pray against them with Dauid in the 44 Psalme Psal 44.23 Exurge Domine awake why sleepest thou O Lord arise and cast vs not off for euer wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and our trouble And in our prayers I make no question but we shall finde comfort if not deliuerance speedily If then any perish it is as God himselfe speakes in the 13 of Ose Perditio tua ex te ô Israel Ose 13.14 his destruction it is from himselfe because hee hath neglected his dutie vnto the Lord in calling vpon him to be mercifull vnto him They came vnto him and good reason too for if we would any thing with the Lord it is all the reason that may be that we come vnto him we haue need of him not he of vs then we must call nay we must cry vnto the Lord Psalm 3.4 Clamaui ad Dominum saith the Prophet Dauid I cried vnto the Lord with my whole voyce and he heard me