venia procuratur poena refugitur and proemiorum largitas impetratur wee haue accesse vnto God the prisoner to intreat the Iudge the Iudge is mooued to mercie and his mercie indueth him with all kinde of blessings O therefore prouide in time while it is to day for this happy anchor if not to stay thy tottering selfe in this miserable world yet to defend thy tossed countrey from the boistrous inuasion of the open foe and the deceitfull practise of thy traiterous friend But because this sea is verie boisterous waue following waue and tempest running after tempest It is not amisse to follow Pyndarus his counsell especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this winters night to loose two anchors The time was indeed wherein man quasi dies in gratia claruit Greg. morale 35.18 was as bright as the day and as cleare as the sunne walking in the day light of blessed grace But being enwrapped in sin and fallen into the dungeon of iniquitie is now in nocte erroris constrained to wander and roaue in the darkesome night of misleading error So that if we will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindarus cast anchor for our true safetie and felicitie we must let downe one in the head and another in the sterne of the shippe that so here relying vpon two anchors in this heauen we may there arriue with all ioy in that blessed heauen Wherefore vnto this anchor of prayer let vs ioyne the anchor of stedfast faith and affiance For this is that which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shield against all the firie dartes of the Diuell This is that true Solsequium Marygold Eph. 6.16 that goes and turnes with the sunne of righteousnesse Christ Iesus It is the right Salamander that will liue and continue in the fire without cōsuming And as if a man doe make him napkins and cloathes of the Salamanders haire although they be throwne into the fire they will not be burned and consumed but purged and purified so will not this perish in the fire of persecution but rather with the Salamander quench the fire then be destroyed by the flame Whereof wee haue a cloud of witnesses in the second of the Hebrewes Yea this is anchora animam seruans the anchor of the soule that keepes it sure and stedfast from ouerwhelming and drowning in the boistrous stormes of craggie temptations and grieuous afflictions Wherefore blessed is he that trusteth in the Lord Prou. 16. for he shall be like the mount Sion that cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer And as the mountaines are about Ierusalem so will the Lord be about him for euermore Psal 125. Aura tonet sonet vnda maris fremat orbis orcus Tu tamen insertos nos tibi Christe teges Let the winde thunder and the waues make a noyse yea earth and hel fret and fume yet thou ô blessed Christ wilt bee a wall of brasse for their defence and a shield of proofe to keepe them safe that trust in thee He that thus casts anchor shall be as a man that is prouided of two houses whereof if one should faile yet the other would receiue and keepe him This was Dauids practise to cast both anchors for his assurance For praying vnto God he calleth God his God saying Hearken vnto the voice of my prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 5.2 my king and my God Hearken King there is the first and my God there is the second And in the thirteenth Psalme wherein hee sings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Psalme of triumph yet he begins the same with sorrow saying Gnathana Gnathana Gnathana Howe long howe long repeating it foure times in two verses but he staies his griefe with the anchor of prayer saying Behold heare me But his prayer is mingled with faith for he saith Behold and heare me O Lord my God Heare me there is his prayer but heare me Iehouah Elohai O my God there is his faith And this confidence he sets downe with the cause thereof saying Psal 13.1.2.3.4 But I trust in thy mercie my heart shal reioice in thy saluation and I will sing vnto the Lord. Thus hee that began with sorrowing ends with singing because he did cast this twofold anchor faith and prayer The Cananitish woman whose daughter was troubled with a diuel came vnto Christ by prayer saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haue mercie vpon me O Lord thou sonne of Dauid And the text saith Matt. 15.22.28 that Christ heard her and why because great was her faith therefore it must be vnto her as she desired For God is cordis inspector the beholder and searcher of the heart Wherefore he saith not vnto her O canis magna est fides tua but O mulier mutauit vocabulum quia mutatum vidit affectum Aug. de fide operibus c. 16. O dogge great is thy faith but O vvoman changing the word because shee had changed her faith eudiant haec audiant qui constanter orant necrecedant flexi inquis genua curuasti quidem sed mens tua for as vagabatur corpus intus sensus foras os loquitur mens vsuras cogitat O Diabolus astutus imitare imitare igitur Cananaeam Chryst homil 17. in Matth. Heare this O heare this ye that pray with vnconstant mindes being wearie of your worke if you haue not too soone your reward and continue stedfast Thou saiest I bende my knees it is true but thy minde that runs aroauing thy bodie indeed is in the Church but thy vnderstanding in the streetes thy mouth mutters but thy minde that runs after thy vsurie O the Diuell is craftie that seekes thus to delude thee Imitare imitare therefore the Cananitish woman indure and thou shalt be heard adde faith vnto thy wordes and thou shalt be blessed Ad orationem assisto non orarem si non crederem sed si vere crederem illud cor quo Deus videtur mundarem genas lacrymis rigarem iacerem ad domini mei pedes eosque fletu perfunderem crine tergerem haererem certo trunco crucis nec prius amitterem quam miserecordiam impetrarem Hieron in Dialog aduersus Luciferi anos Marke what a learned father speaketh in thy person I come saith he and set my selfe vnto prayer I would not pray vnlesse I did beleeue I should be heard But if my faith were true then would I cleanse my heart which God so neerely marks then would I moisten my cheekes with my teares then would I hang about my Maisters feete and all to bewash them with the moisture of mine eyes and wipe them with the cleanest of my haire then would I cleaue vnto the Crosse and neuer leaue it before I had obtained mercie But now I walke while I pray sometimes reckening my accounts with my minde sometimes hauing lustfull desires in my thoughts seldome goeth my mind with my lips oh where is faith Thus did not Ionas pray thus did not the
the bottome of the sea and the belly of the Whale cried vnto the Lord and he heard him If we be in igne in the fire by this we shall be deliuered Dan. 3. as were the three children in the middest of the firie furnace who cried vnto the Lord and he deliuered them If we be inter medios Leones among the middest of the Lyons Dan. 6. as was Daniel in the middest of the Lyons denne who cried vnto the Lord and he deliuered him This is Gods precept and Dauids practise For the first saith God Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee And for the second saith Dauid out of the deepes haue I called vnto thee O Lord and thou deliueredst me Psal 130. If we be besieged by our enemies by this we shal haue deliuerance as was Elisha 2. Kings 6.18 who prayed vnto the Lord and was deliuered vertit se eo vbi omnes verum auxilium inuenerunt scilicet ad orationem quae vnica desper atorum ancora est And lastly if a whole army be set against vs by this we shall ouercome them Numb 17 as did Moses the Amalekites who prayed vnto the Lorde and was deliuered Glossa For plus valet vnus sanctus orando quam innumeri peccatores praeliando one good man will do more good by praying then an innumerable number of sinners by fighting Thus in the army of Marcus Antonius the Philosopher at the prayers of a band of Christians God sent water and things necessarie for the army Xiphilinus togither with a mightie tempest to the destruction of the enemy And thus the kingly Prophet Dauid praying against his persecuting enemies saith That the Lord thundred from heauen hee sent out his arrowes and scattered them and increased his lightnings and destroyed them Psal 18.13,14 God hath called our army abroad the enemy is encamped about vs and hath shaken his sword against vs and who can tell whether the Lord will likewise shew mercie vpon our prayers The Heathens could giue this report of the Christians Capitolin in Marco nihil esse quod ij qui Christiani nominantur precibus à Deo impetrare non possent That there is nothing which the Christian man by his prayers may not obtaine at Gods hand This was it that so troubled the cruell persecutors in the primitiue Church as Plinius Iunior writing to Traian about the professours of Christianitie acquites them of all faults and offences both against Prince and people excepting this one quod ante Lucanos hymnos in cuinsdam hominis laudem qui 〈◊〉 Palaestina crucifixus erat decantarent That they sung hymnes and psalmes before breake of day touching thankesgiuing and praise for Christ which was crucified in Palestina O has Plinie liued in these daies he would neuer haue found this fault with Christians among whom the name of God and his sonne Christ is more abused to his dishonour then rightly vsed for his praise and honour Notwithstanding neuer was there more neede of prayer then in these daies wherein faith is almost forgotten and charitie waxeth too colde wherein the world is turned vpsidowne and Christ begins to summon vs to our account and wherein God and Satan haue this long time bent their bowes against vs. God hath bent his bow but it is the bow of long suffering the wood whereof is iustitia iustice the string misericordia mercie and the arrowe vindicta reuenge and if we stil abuse his patience by our sins as we haue begun and despise his long suffering by our iniquities as we go forwards then must needs his iustice forget his mercie and send the arrowe of reuenge against vs. Happy therefore shall they be that can cast this anchor of faith and prayer vpon Christ Psal 2.12 For when his wrath shall suddenly burne then blessed are all they that put their trust in him The Diuell likewise hath bent his bowe but it is the bowe of eternall death destruction the wood whereof is malitia the Diuels malice the string experientia his experience and the shafte temptatio alluring and deceitfull temptation which he often le ts flie round about vs woūding some and killing others This man with pride that with gluttony another with couetousnesse and a fourth with periurie Filling the world full with all vnrighteousnesse fornication wickednes maliciousnesse enuie murther deceit debate and what not to bring vs all vnto confusion O beloued neuer more shooting and neuer lesse praying neuer more dartes and yet few or none applies his shield For who now moisteneth his prayers with the teares of true repentance thereby to quench the firie dartes of Satan O lacrymae quo fugistis redite obsecro redite lacrymae flete me coelum terra Lugete me omnes creaturae me plorate omnia elementa peccaui enim crudeliter lapsus sum grauiter cecidi mirabiliter Nullus est morbus vitiorum à quo non contraxi contagium Isiodore Dial hominis deflentis lib. 1. cap. 41. High time it is to crie with the penitent person O teares whither are you fled ô sighes whither are you gone Come againe ye teares and returne ô ye sobs Come heauen come earth and bewaile me O ye creatures lament ouer me For I haue sinned cruelly I haue fallen grieuously there is no sinne wherewith I am not fowly bespotted Did not the heauens raine at Elias prayer 1. King 18 and the rocke send foorth flouds at Moses stroke Exod. 17.6 and shall God smite Satan wound and yet we bee without prayers of repentance The Poets report of Hector that so long as he liued Troy could not be destroyed calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the immoueable and inexpugnable pillar of Troy But much more may it be spokē of the beleeuing mā whose praier bindeth God to doe good vnto the countrey As was Lot vnto the Sodomites of whom God witnesseth that he could doe nothing against them so long as Lot liued amongst them Gen. 19.22 In what a lamentable case then is that countrey and place wherein there is no Moses Eze. 22.30 no man of prayer to stand in the gappe before God for the land A token that God intends a present punishment to fall vpon that countrey and on the contrarie where God bestoweth the spirit of prayer he will likewise giue a blessing of mercie For this cause Dauid ioynes prayer and mercie togither saying Psal 66.20 Praised be God which hath not put backe my prayer nor hid his mercie from me noting prayer to be the especiall meanes whereby God will conferre a benefit vpon a people Because Aug. quamdiu Deus non tollit à te orationem tuam non amouebit à te miserecordiam suam so long as God depriues thee not of the spirit of prayer he will not denie thee his mercifull kindnesse Seeing therefore that by prayer Cassianus Ira Dei suspenditur
Gregorius Qui etsam in porcos traÌ„sire non potuâ—… nisi permissus Math. 8. which could not enter into the heard of swine vntill he had receiued leaue and licence from Christ our Sauiour Iob. 1. Nor preuaile against Iob no further then the Lord sawe it conuenient for Iobs triall the Lords glorie Wherefore defie Sathan and abandon all vsers of wicked craftes say with Augustine Aug. Vna confidentia vna â—irma promissio Deus miserecordia tua This is one only confidence and firme promise and that is thy mercy O God Si insurgant aduersiis me praelia Bernardus Though warres and troubles rise against me Though the world rage and the Diuell fret Though the flesh lust against the spirit yet in te domine speraebo I will trust in thee In thee O Lord alone my God and my redeemer Psal 3. And with Dauid though my aduersaries be increased and say vnto my soule there is no helpe for him in his God yet will I not be affraid for ten thousand For thou O God art my buckler and saluation belongeth onely vnto thee O Christ my king thou art my countrie my strength my riches my happinesse yea thou art all thinges what tounge can speake or heart can wish heere heere is the sure ground whereon to cast our anker other grounds will but deceiue Gregory vs. Quid coelo securius paradiso iucundus Angeli tumen de caelo de pariaiso homines câ—ciderunt What is more secure then heauen or more pleasant then paridise yet the Angels fell from heauen and â—…e lost paradise why then wilt thou cast vpon man which is so fraile the world which is so vaine and the Diuell which is so deceitfull Aug. Proijce te in illum qui semper stat O no but cast thy selfe only vpon him which is neither fraile or vaine subtle nor deceitfull but firme constant and permanent willing to receiue thee and able for to help thee euen the Lord thy God and he will nourish thee and thus much for the first part of this text which is the christiaÌ„ mans laying at anker in the sea of this world contained in these wordes cast thy burden vpon the Lord and he will nourish thee Now followeth the second and the third partes which for the time is past I will contract and finish in a word The second part is the arriuing of the godly man in the hauen of happpinesse Contained in these words He will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer insinuating vnto vs that the godly man shall be tossed in this world with the waues of aflictions and the windes of persecutions but for all this he shall be deliuered from drowning and at the last arriue in the blessed hauen of happinesse where in we are to consider these two things First the necessitie of afflictions and secondly the assurance of his arriuing in the hauen The first insinuated from the comparison of his sayling the second assured from the promise Who will not suffer him to fall for euer for the first Mans life is compared vnto a shippe sayling on the sea and therfore he must looke for waues and windes to tosse assault him To a warrefare the christian man is the souldier and he must expect weapons and men and all store of warlike strategemes to oppresse him Timothie 2.2.3 Thus is Timothie called the souldier of Christ and therefore perswaded by the Apostle to arme himselfe to suffer affliction as a good souldier The Chtistian man is compared to a vessell afflictions are the tooles the vessell must looke to be cut and squared fitte foâ— the vse of that house for which it is prouided The Christian man is compared vnto a scholler the world is the schoolehouse afflictions are the rod and the scholler must looke nowe and then to tast of the rodde and vnder goe correction Psal 66 10. The Christian man is coÌ„pared vnto gould the world is the forâ—…e afflictions are the fire and the gould and mettall must looke to bee tried in the fire that it may be purified The Christian is compared to a runner and tryer of masteries and the wrestler must looke for foiles and for falles Cor. 1.9.24 The Christian is compared to come and he must looke to be sifted and threshed with the flayle of afflictions The christian man is compared vnto the grape that must be pressed strayned and stamped with tribulation Thus God dealeth with his children as a father with the sonne whome he most loueth Luke 15. as a Phisitian with the patient whome he most affecteth specified by the louing father vnto the prodigall son by Christ vnto the theife vpon the crosse Heb. 11. This was the way for all the god vnto walke into heauen as appeareth by the patriarkes the Prophets the Apostles Christ and his saints wherfore we must accept of afflictions as the Lords most fatherly corrections first because God is the sender of them and being our father he will send nothing vnto his children but that which shall be for their good and profit Luke 15. How mercifull was hee vnto the wounded man that fell among theiues Math. 9. How carefull was hee of the sheepe that was lost in the wildernesse Mat. 11.29 and how pittiful ouer the disâ—…sed that were sicke blind doumb and deafe for vnto whome faith God shall I haue respect but vnto him that is miserable poore brought low troubled in spirite and standeth in awe of my words Esay 66.2 Secondly because God that sendes them is almightie and able to deliuer vs Our father will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength Cor. 1.10 Thirdly because afflictions are short yet a little and hee comes Though mourning be at euen yet ioy cometh in the morning Thus was Ioseph now a prisoner by and by a Prince Psal 30.5 Dauid erewhile a banisht man and despised by and by a King much respected Iob a man euen now afflicted and contemned by and by againe in much prosperitie and of all regarded Fourthly because we are sicke God is the Physitian affliction the physicke we will suffer the phisician to giue vs bitter potions and the surgeon to cutte and to launce our bodies And why not much more God who though hee kill yet will make aliue and though hee wound yet will make vs whole In a word because afflictions bring vs to know God and our selues to awake vs from sin and conforme vs to the image of Christ his sonne because in trouble betimes shall they arise vnto mee saith the Lord and while wee are punished we are corrected of the Lord that wee should not be condemned in the world Let vs cry with Austine hic seca hic vre ne pere am in eternum here cut here launce here box here burne least I perish with Diues and the rest of the wicked in the fire of hell which shall neuer haue
heart are prone to euill euermore Gen. 6.5 Yet cast this burden likewise vpon the Lord and say with Dauid Misericordia Domini plena est terra The earth is full of the goodnes louing kindnes of the Lord and with Augustine Plus vult ille misereri quà m nos a miseria liberari The Lord is more willing to shew mercie then we are to receiue it And when vice shall inuade thee with Qua cautela huc recedes thou art now in the custodie of sinne and fettered with the bonds of iniquitie if thou wouldest breake prison or vnloose thy fetters thou must first binde the strong man Mat. 12.14 But alas thou art weake Phil. 2.30 and not able so much as to wil thou art dead in thy sinnes Ephe. 2.1 and how wilt thou deliuer thy selfe then cast this burden also vpon the Lord and say with Nehemias Nehemi 4.20 The Lord shal fight for vs. And with Paul Ro. 8.31 If God bee with vs who can be against vs And with Dauid Psal 3.6 The Lord is my saluation therefore I will not be afraid for ten thousand that beset mee round about Though that heauen denies thee with Quo titulo introitum vindicas Alas thou art flesh for what is of the flesh is flesh Iohn 3.6 but flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of heauen 1. Cor. 15 Yet mayest thou cast this burden vpon the Lord and say with Bernard Puto iam spernere me non poterit Christus os de ossibus meis caro de carne mea I know that Christ my redeemer will not now reiect me that so dearely bought mee who for this cause became bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh that he might bring me vnto his heauenly Paradise And though hell and sinne do make challenge to thee with Quo iure exitum aduocas descend to hell for he that committeth sinne is of the diuell 1. Ioh. 3.8 but thou art altogether sinfull take therefore the broad way that leades vnto hell Mat. 7.13 behold the Angels defie thee heauē denies thee vertue reiects thee vice retaines thee and the diuell will haue thee yet cast this burden likewise vpon the Lord and say Nihil odisti eorum quae fecisti Wisd 11 thou hatest nothing that thou hast made But behold saith God all soules are mine and therefore take me that am the worke of thy owne handes And thus we are led by the title of this Psalme to tune Dauids Harpe vnto Christs musike being like vnto the loade-star that in the darke night cōducts the wandring traueller to his wished hauen so this the wearied Christian vnto the hauen of his sure deliuerance For albeit the browne diuell penury oppresse thee and the blacke diuell of persecution pursue thee though the world bee encamped about thee and the heauens bee banded against thee yet this will leade thee vnto the true deliuerer which is the Lord thy God thy true saluation Basil vpon this text compares man vnto a true penitentiary cloathed in sackcloth and apparelled with a garment of hayre going into Gods house weeping but returning from his presence laughing going heauily burdened but returning altogether eased Yet Augustine◠comming more nigh the letter compares man in this world to a loadē ship sayling vpon the boistrous seas drawing the warrant of his cōparison first from the word hashlecke which signifieth cast as the Marriner that casts his anker Secondly frō mote of mute fluctuatio a fluctibus The Septuagints translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth procella a storme by sea from whence comes salum which Ennius makes salus and signifieth the sea Thirdly from Beer whereof commeth the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 puteus a wel with water And thus compared the text affordeth vs these three partes First a casting or lying at anker from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 racta sicut anchoram in mari Lyrain Peter 1.5 cast as an anker is cast in the sea The second thing is his arriuing in the hauen from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer videris fluctuari in mari isto sed excipit te portus Aug. Thou seemest to be dāgerously tossed in this sea but the hauen that receiues thee yea portus tranquillissimus Cassidori the most calme and blessed hauen that will neuer deceiue thee Thirdly the shipwrack from veattah Elohim Thou O God shalt bring them in puteum submersionis Aug. into the pit of drowning or destruction to teach vs that sayle here in this world of calamitie to cast sure vpon the ground of Gods prouidence that we may arriue in the world to come in the hauen of happinesse lest we perish with the wicked for neglectance Because this world est vallis media inter coelum et infernum quasi inter montem vitae montē mortis A valley placed in the middest betweene heauen and hell as betweene the mountaine of life and the mountaine of death And because this world is via peccati vmbra mortis in qua pyrata diabolus recte gradientibus retia deceptionis expandit Aug. vol 1. serm 13. It is the way of sin and the shaddow of death wherein the diuell the arch-pyrate sets his nets of murdering deceites to entrap them that would walke in the wayes of Gods commaundements And thus much of the introduction and interpretation of this scripture Now to the parts as they lie in order And first of our ankering contayned in these words Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and hee shall nourish thee This clause affords vnto vs these three things First the ankers that we must cast and they are two prayer and affiance The second is the ship that must bee stayed by these ankers and that is lehabhka thy burden thy burdened and wearied life The third is the ground whereunto these ankers must bee fastened or wherevpon they must bee cast and that is two-fold First a generall ground and that is God Secondly a more particular and that is his prouidence Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee Now to the first which is our ankering Selucus beeing expelled out of Babylon returning by the helpe of Ptolomy with a band of souldiers as hee made haste vnto the Citie stumbled and stumbling hurt his foote whereat his friends somewhat agrieued reauing vp the stone found a ring that was hidden vnder it in which ring was engrauen the similitude and forme of an Anker which they interpreting supposed it to portend captiuity But hee being of another spirit cryed out vnto them with a lowd voyce Bono animo estote omnes nam quā terram calcamus retenturi sumus possessuri Be of good cheere my friends and fellowes for this ground whereon we now tread as aliants and exiles wee shall assuredly possesse as heires and owners And thus that
being grounded vpon true faith he saith the Lord hath heared the voyce of my petition therfore he triumphs all my enemies shall be confounded Marke the burden which was the trouble of his soule and the remedy which was prayer and affiance Wherefore being well practised in this diuine art he sets vp a schoole for al christiaÌ„ schollers saying come and I will teach you And what I pray you is his method First decline from euill and then do good there is the remedy of repentance and the Lordes eares shal be opeÌ„ to your cry he will deliuer you there is the remedy of faith and prayer This was Augustines practise Rom. 6.24 Hoâ—eah 14.10 First he cryeth with S. Paule O wretched man that I am when shall my crookednesse be made euen to thy streightnesse then he falleth to confession which he acknowledgeth to be the verie way wherby he may go againe into the way out of the which he hath gone astray Now his confession is that God is truth and he vanitie God is puritie but he filthinesse God is good but he euill God is righteous but he sinfull God is life but he dead Then he falleth vnto prayer saying Aug solit 16 Audi o Creator creatura tua sum iam perij creatura tua sum iam morior Hearken then O Creator I am thy creature and am now cast away I am thy creature and now do I die thy workmanship O Lord I am despise not the workes of thy hands respect the wouÌ„ds of thy owne hands I beseech thee loe thou hast written me vpon the palme of they hands lege scripturam hanc salua me read that writing and saue me which prayer being grounded vpon faith he calleth God his fortitude by whome he is vpholden his helpe by whome he is assisted his strength by whome he is sustained his glorie in whome he reioyceth his life wherein he liueth This method Basilius in his booke de Peccato commendeth vnto vs as the especiall remedy for this burden saying there is one thing that thou must shun and eschew and that is sinne insinuating repentance and there is one refuge for all thy miseries and that is God intimating faith and true prayer Let vs therefore take vp the parable of Gregorie Nazianzen and pray after this manner Thou O God hast had mercie vpon three famous Publicans which are remembred in thy holy booke Math. 9. Mathew at the custome Luke 18. The Publican in the Temple Luke 19. Zacheus on the tree O let me be the fourth and saue me Thou hast had mercy vpon three that were strongly bound and couldst nor stirre The lame of the palsey on the bed the Math. 9. sicke lying by the poole and the bound by the spirit eightene yeares Marke 9. O Lord I am bound with the chayne of my sins vnloose this chaine let me be the fourth and saue me Iohn 5. Thou hast had mercy vpon three that were dead and saw no light Math. 9. The Rulers daughter Luke 7 The widdowes sonne Iohn 11. And Lazarus whome thou louest O Lord I am dead in my sinnes let me bee the fourth and saue me For thy great mercy sake And nowe giue me corasiues that then I may haue comfortatiues If in this life thou sendest me vanitie there I shall haue immutabilitie If in this life thou layest burdens vpon me grant that in that life I may enioy eternal ease and quietnesse And thus much for the third point which is the remedy for this burden Now followeth the third thing considered in the first part which is the ground whereunto this anker must be fastened and that is two fold God and the promise to the prouidence The first expressed in these wordes cast thy burden vpon the Lord. And the second signified by these He shal nourish thee The first is gnal Ichouah vpon Iehouah shewing vnto vs by this name that God is he of whom all things haue their being are gouerned and preserued For Iehouah is a name of effence comming of houah or hxiah which is a verbe substantiue and signifieth to be From whence ariseth ehte the name of sempeternitie signifieth which is which was and euer shall be Wherefore God calleth himself Exod us 3.14 and none but himself I am as who should say I am of my selfe and others of me and therefore cast vpon me I am all sufficient hauing no neede of others but all other things haue neede of me Sciebat enim se solum esse alias creatures a se accepisse vt essent Origin For he knew well when he said I am that he onely had being of himselfe all the being that the creatures haue they receiue it from him Which indeede is no more to be called being in respect of Gods being theÌ„ the shadow may be said to be in respect of the body or the smoake in comparison of the fire Seeing then God is and all sufficient we note from this word Iehouah these two thinges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods selfe existencie and Gods selfe sufficiencie First Gods selfe existencie whence he is called Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending which is which was and which is to come Apocall 8. For Attahel before the mountaines were made and before the earth world were formed euen from euerlasting to euerlasting thou art our God saith the kingly Prophet Psal 90.2 being the vncreated maker of all things yea the very author of life Damacen Orthodox cap. 2 For of him we liue we moue and haue our being Acts. 2.15 Ezekias dying life he prolonged at his pleasure Acts. 17. For he hath power both of life death other Gods cannot saue thee for they caÌ„not saue themselues Esay 38. Being like vnto Dagon the God of the Philistines Wisedome 16.13 who fell vpon his face on the ground before the Arke of the Lord and not being able to help himselfe Barauch 6. lost both his head and his hands But Iehouah is he that did answere Elias prayer by fire from heauen Kings 1.18 For the Lord himselfe is God therefore call upon him The second is Gods selfe sufficiencie For God calleth himselfe el shadday God all sufficient being most worthy of that prayse and commendation which the Poet ascribeth vnto nature Genes 17.1 saying Ipsa suis pollens opibus nihil indiga nostri He is rich enough of himselfe and wanteth none of our riches to helpe him And thus much he acknowledgeth of himselfe saying Heare O my people and I will speake Heare O Israell and I will testifie vnto thee Psal 50.7.8.9 For I am God euen thy God I will take no Bullocke out of thy house nor goates out of thy foldes For all the beastes of the Forrest are mine and the beastes on a thousand mountaines I know all the fowles on the mountianes and the wild