spilt as is sowen in that time and if besides occasions of the world do keep us from hearing or hinder us in preparing for it what in this case is bestowed on the world is stollen from God and our owne soules And therefore in the Decalogue where God commanded the Jews to sanctifie the seventh day as a day of rest for Gods service hee telleth them that they had six daies allowed theÌ„ to do their own works in but the seventh was a Sabbath of rest in which being freed from the world they should bee at leasure for God For better keeping of which day Moses commanded them that the day before the Sabbath they should (a) Exod. 16.23 bake what they had to bake and seeth what they had to seeth that so they might have no businesse of their own to do when they were to keepe Gods holy day And from hence it was that the Jews called the sixth day of the week (b) Matt. 27 6â— Luk. 23.54 the preparation of the Sabbath Some have thought that this was a peculiar title of the day going before the Passeover and sure there is reason to think that it was in an especiall maner used before that day because as that (c) Joh. 19.31 Sabbath day was an high day so this preparation day should be observed with more solennitie and care that it might usher in that great day with the more honour But yet I take it every Sabbath day had his preparation day going before according to that rule of Moses mentioned before And so (d) Parasceve Graeca vox est Latinè dicas praeparationem Eo nomine Judaei vocabant sextam Sabbathi seu sextam Hebdomadae diem eò quòd illo die pararent necessaria omnia ad vivendum die subsequenti ne qua re otium Sabbathi violare cogerentur Brugens in Matt 27.62 Vox Parasceve qua Romani hanc solam feriam sextam compellant communis est omnibus totius anni feriis sextis Parasceve verò praeparatio interpretatur quo nomine Judaei qui inter Graecos conversabantur sextam Sabbathi quae nunc à nobis sexta feria nominatur appellabaâ—â— c. Antiq. Liturg. tom 2. de feria sexta pag. 925. Vide Ca aeuÌ„ in Cassian Instit lib. 5. cap. 24 pag. 12. learned men generally do affirm Answerably whereunto and as I take it in imitation thereof the Christian Church hath beene accustomed to keepe Saterday half holy day that in the afternoon they might ridd by-businesses out of the way and by the evening service might prepare their mindes for the Lords day then ensuing Which custome and usage of Gods people as I will not presse it upon any mans conscience as a necessary dutie so every man will grant mee that Gods people as well Christian as Jewish have thought a time of preparation most fit for the well observing of Gods holy day And upon this ground I may be bolde to advise every good Christian that before the exercises of the LORDS day he will take care to lay aside worldly occasions and to cleare his minde from the thought of them that so he may have nothing to do with the world while hee is to converse with God nor bee distracted with earthly thoughts when hee is to bee busied about heavenly things In regard whereof I cannot but blame their loosenesse who follow the businesses of their trade in the morning of the Lords day or spend other parts thereof in talking with their servants about the disposing of the next weeks work as if they meant to make the Lords day a preparation day for the week following By which meanes it falleth out not seldome that such people come tardy to Church and heare without attention when they are come and go away without profit when all is done I like not their rigour who allow no word nor thought on a Sabbath day but such as is spirituall nor can I approve their loosenes who take so much libertie for themselves as hindereth any substantiall dutie of Gods service More I say not at this time grant mee but thus much and then ye will not denie but so much preparation is necessary as may make us fit for the duties of Gods service and may make the exercises of an holy day profitable for our soules II. A second preparative duty for right hearing is that wee refresh the body with seasonable moderat comforts that the senses spirits being refreshed the minde may bee made more chearefull in Gods service For our soules work as our bodies are fitted for them and the reason is because the senses of the body are the servants of the soule the spirits are the instrumeÌ„ts by which it worketh Now if a master-workman doe want servants to assist him he will do but a little work and if hee want tooles or have none but blunt ones he can do no work or none to any pupose And so if the bodily senses bee decaied and the spirits wasted the minde cannot be free or forward in good duties And consequently if we desire that our soules may be fresh lively in hearing or praying or praising God it will be necessary that the body bee kept in vigour by its usuall refreshings And these refreshings are two especially moderat diet and seasonable sleepe In these I require two things 1. that there bee a competent use of them allowed to the body and 2. that this use be moderat and seasonable And this the Apostle meant when hee said Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 for by these words (a) Cassian Inst Ib. 5 c. 8. pag. 116. saith a good writer non curam ejus omnimodis interdixit sed ut in desideriis fieret denegavit He did not forbid all care but denied the fulfilling of its lusts Voluptuosam ademit diligentiam carnis gubernationem vitae necessariam non exclusit hee tooke away the sensuall care of the flesh but not the right ordering of it according to the course of nature 1. It is necessary that there bee allowed a reasonable use of them that the senses may bee lively and active for their work For wee read of the Egyptian yong man that by long fasting hee was ready to die but when he had eaten some food then saith the Text his spirit came againe to him 1 Sam. 30.12 And so Ionathans eies were enlightened by eating a little honey in his hunger 1 Sam. 14.27 And againe if the people had beene suffered to eate of the spoile of their enemies there had beene a farre greater slaughter among the Philistines ver 30. (b) Efficaciùs semper corde concipitur quicquid sensim absque nimio labor corporis intimatur Cassian Collat. 14 cap. 19. pag. 651. And so in this case sleepe and food are necessary refreshings that wee may bee chearefull in Gods service And the reason is cleare in experience For we see that the famished body is unfit for worke
incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away 1. Pet. 1.4 And the reason is because God hath appointed this life to be a passage to the other but the life to come to be the permanent and fixed state in which all men receive their reward Therefore when Dives being in hell desired that Lazarus might come out of Abrahams bosome to refresh him No saith Abraham that cannot be for betwixt us and you is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to us that would come from thence Luke 16.26 Implying that there is no removing nor no changing in the life to come but those that are once in hell shall be in hell for ever and those that be in heaven neither can nor will depart thence The blessednesse then of heaven which is the onely true blessednesse is eternall and unchangeable But it is not so with the happinesse of this world they are changeable nay changing every day and that two waies or in two respects Either because they are of a fading nature and may leave us when wee have most need of them or because we are of a mortall constitution subject to dissolution and death and then we must leave them if they leave not us before 1. Riches are of a fading nature still ebbing and flowing like the sea and oftentimes dryed uplike the summer brookes Riches faith Solomon make themselves wings and flye away as an Eagle towards heaven Prov. 23.25 Meaning by this expression to tell us how hastily they leave us (a) Job 1. Iob was a happy man in all worldly respects happy in his children and happy in his authority and happy in his possessions so that there was none like him in all the land but in one day thieves came and caried away his oxen and his asses and murdered his servants and a fire from heaven came and burnt up his sheep and the servants that kept them and a winde from the wildernesse came and cast downe the house where his children were and destroyed them all Nor was this all with the losse of children and goods and possessions hee lost his authority and command also For whereas he was before (b) Job 29.21 c. honored of the best now (c) Job 30.1 9 10. the very boyes had him in derision and the abjects of the world made him their song And thus it is with us now also Be a man never so rich and so plentifull in all things yet either thieves may rob him or false servants may beguile him or bad creditors may faile him or fire may consume him or some misfortune or other may befall him and sweep all away in a moment And if his goods be once gone then farewell his honour and his credit and his power hee that sate before on the bench like a Judge may with Iob fit upon the dunghill without any man that will care for him Secondly say that worldly preferments abide with us still Yet if they leave not us we are sure to leave them nor can we say how soone it may be The rich man in the Gospell had laid up much wealth which hee supposed should serve him for many yeares and possible they might so saving that he himselfe wanted dayes to enjoy them Hee said Soule thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares eate drink and be merie But God said and his word must stand Thou foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee and then whose shall those things be that thou hast provided Luke 12.19 20. And so now we that are in health this day are not sure that we can live till the next day If now wee blesse our selves in our fortunes and think our selves happy in our children in our friends in our preferments in our possessions and houses and make an account that wee are now setled to our mind yet how can we be sure that it may not bee said to us from heaven Thou foole this night or this day will they take away thy soule from thee And then whose shall those dwellings and those preferments and those friends and those offices and those bags and chests whose shall they be when thou goest to thy grave and they cannot follow thee This point is of use divers wayes it serveth for comfort to the poore for admonition to the Rich and for instruction to us all Vse 1. It is for comfort to the poore For if the things of this life have so little matter of happinesse in them why should any man grieve to want that which can do him no more good And if there be such perfection of happinesse in enjoying God and a good conscience why should any man be discōtēted for want of other things while hee enjoyeth these Mephibosheth was so well contented with the favour of the King that when Zibah his servant had cousened him of the one halfe of his lands he answered Nay let him take all forasmuch as my Lord the King is come againe in peace to his own house 2 Sam. 19.29 30. meaning that he cared not for lands livings so he might enjoy the favour of the King And much rather may every poore Christian say It mattereth not though I bee robbed of my goods and turned out of my possessions and left destitute of all things so that I may enjoy Christ and his merits and live with God in glory Let the world take all seeing I have God to be my father and Christ to be my Saviour and the holy Spirit to be my Comforter This comfort and contentment the poorest man that serveth God aright may gather from this doctrine Vse 2. It is for admonition to the rich and great men of the world it teacheth them not to place happinesse in these outward things S. Pauls direction to Timothie is Charge them that be rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertaine riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6.17 In these words I note two things 1. What rich men are charged with and that is that they trust not in their riches as if they were safe because they were great or happy because they were wealthy and 2. Why they should observe this charge and that is implyed in the condition ascribed to their riches uncertain riches For it were a folly to trust in that which may faile us when we have most need of it And as rich men may not trust in their riches so honourable men must not trust in their honors and learned men must not trust in their learning and popular men must not trust in their credit with the multitude nor may any man trust in man or humane things But as our Saviour when one shewed him the goodly buildings of the Temple Seest thou these great buildings said he there shall not be left one stone upon another that shal not be thrown down So when we
speech that if any of us did know that there were a mine of gold to be found by seeking wee would be glad it were in our own ground wee would moreover digge the earth hew the rocks and draine the marishes that nothing might hinder our obtaining of that treasure And in such maner would Solomon have us to labour for the knowledge of God that lyeth hid in his word Young people should desire to be catechised old people to be further instructed and all both yong and olde should willingly undergoe that paines what ever it bee that may open the Mine and bring us to the sight and possession of this treasure 3. If there bee any of us who have children whose happinesse wee doe desire we learne from hence to lay the foundation thereof in the knowledge of Gods word Moses commanded parents that they should teach their children upon every occasion and acquaint them with Gods word and his commandements promising them that then their dayes and the dayes of their children should be multiplied in the land as the dayes of heaven Deut. 11.19 21. And so if ye would leave a good portion indeede for your children and provide that they may live long upon earth and eternally in heaven catechise them in the principles of Gods word sow the seedes of godlinesse in their tender mindes and teach them how to follow the directions of Gods Law and this will give them instructions to know the right way and will follow them with exhortations to goe on in the way and will never leave them till it give them possession of heaven and eternall glory CAP. VI. Hearing of Gods word Read is a meanes of blessednesse Cap. 6 HItherto hath beene declared how the word of God containeth vertue in it to make a man blessed Our Lord goeth on to tell us how this vertue may bee conveyed and communicated unto us to wit by Hearing and Keeping of it Blessed saith he are they that heare the word of God keep it I begin with hearing and hereof there are two kinds mentioned in Scripture an hearing of the word read as it is delivered in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and an hearing of the word preached as it is unfolded and applied by the ordinarie Minister sent of God for that purpose Of both these it is true that they are meanes by which the blessednes of Gods word may bee conveyed unto us and therefore both are necessary to bee considered in their place and order First then I say that hearing of the word read out of the Scriptures is a meanes to make a man blessed or to communicate blessednesse unto him I. This is proved first by Testimonies of Scriptures I will insist onely upon two 1. The first is that of Moses Deut. 31.9 10 11 12 13. The words are Moses wrote this Law and delivered it to the Priests the sonnes of Levi And commanded them saying At the end of every seven yeares in the solemnitie of the yeare of Release in the feast of Tabernacles When all Israel is come to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which hee shall choose Thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel in their hearing Gather the people together men and women and children and the stranger that it within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and observe to doe all the words of this Law and that their children which have not knowen any thing may heare and learn to feare the Lord your God as long as ye live in the land whither ye goe over Iordan to possesse it In these words we may note for this purpose these things 1. what Moses did that is 1. he wrote this Law to wit that which God had delivered unto him for the instruction of his people 2. he delivered it to the Priests that it might be for the use of the Church And this sheweth that the law whereof Moses speaketh was the written word of God committed to the Church 2. Wee may consider what Moses commanded the Priests to doe and that is that they should reade this Law to the people And this is illustrated and amplified by 3. things 1. by the solemnity of the time when it should bee read to wit in the great feast of Tabernacles when all Israel were to bee present 2. By the universality of the persons in whose hearing it should bee read and they are specified to bee men women and children as well strāgers as natives 3. Why or for what end the Law was to bee read to all these sorts of men gathered in such multitudes And the ends are diverse one subordinat to an other ech former serving as a meanes for that which commeth after and all of them tending and conducing to an happie life the first is that they might heare it the next that by hearing they might learn it the last that by hearing and learning they might bee brought to feare God and observe and doe all the words of that Law Now laie these together that Moses wrote this Law and the Priests read this Law and the people all of them heard this Law written and read unto them by Gods appointment and all this for this end and purpose that the people might feare God and keepe his commandements and they plainely prove that the hearing of the word written and read is an approved meanes to an holy and consequently to an happy life also For hee that so heareth the word that he is a doer of the worke is blessed in his deede Iam. 1.25 2. The second testimony is that of the Prophet Ier. 36.5 6 7. Ierem. commanded Baruch saying I am shutt up I cannot goe into the house of the Lord. Therefore goe thou and reade in the Roll which thou hast written from my mouth the words of the Lord in the eares of the people in the Lords house upon the fasting day and also thou shalt reade them in the eares of all Iudah that come out of their cities It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord and will returne every one from his evill way In this passage when it is said that Ieremie being restrained that himselfe could not preach did therefore command Baruch and that by Gods appointment as appeareth vers 2 3. to reade Ieremies words in a written Roll this sheweth both that the people did heare the word written and that it was a duty of consequence and moment And secondly when he saith It may bee they will present their supplication returne this implieth that though there might be some doubt of the successe because of the obstinacy of the people Yet this was a likely way and God made choise of it for that purpose that they might relent and repent and amend their evill waies and obtaine pardon as is more plainely signified v. 3. And this againe proveth that the hearing of the word is a meanes to reclaime
and the hungrie belly thinketh more of eating drinking then of praying or learning Gods word and the man that is weary with long labour had rather sleepe then meditat or heare It is said of Sisera that hee was fast a sleepe and weary and the meaning is say the Learned (c) Vatabl in Jud. 4.21 pressus sopore prae lassitudine that by reason of his weariness he fell into a dead sleepe The conclusion is some refreshing is necessary for the body that it may be serviceable for the soule And this is the first thing that I say 2. The second is that this refreshing must be seasonable and moderat For as emptines breedeth faintnesse so fulnesse is a burden and both of them disable the soule in her functions For as the Egyptian was not able to tell his tale when hee wanted meat so Nabal was not fit for good counsell when he was filled with wine and good cheare 1. Sam. 25.36 37. And for this cause our LORD giveth us warning Take heede to your selves that your hearts be not overcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares Luk. 21.34 This sheweth that meat drink if they be immoderat are a burden to the soule Likewise sleepe if it bee seasonable refresheth nature and maketh men fit for their worke but unseasonable sleepe is an hinderance to good imployments which made Solomon to say that if a man love sleepe he will come to poverty Pro. 20.13 6.11 And so it is in the spirituall state of mens soules Those that give themselves to sleepe when they should watch and work in Gods service will doubtlesse come to great poverty in Gods graces And no marvell For if men sleepe when they should come to Church they deprive themselves of some part of Divine service and if they sleepe when they are come they deprive themselves of all the fruit that they should reape by it and consequently they lose the helps meanes which God hath appointed for the enriching of their soules with divine graces The conclusion is Comforts of nature in meat and sleepe are necessary for attentive hearing so they bee moderate and seasonable But in both these refreshings men do oftentimes offend and hee that would have good of these comforts must bee carefull to avoid those errours which be these 1. Men offend in eating and drinking seldome in defect but many times by excesse It was sometimes a fault among the Primitive Christians when men in their zole did take the kingdome of heaven by violence that they fasted so long till they fainted and therefore were reproved by the Ancient Fathers for their austerity and rigour But our times are not greatly guilty of that fault Our sinne is that by too full feeding wee become unfit for holy duties For whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart as the Prophet speaketh Hos 4.11 And surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of the world do overcharge the heart that it cannot keep watch against the great day as our Saviour saith Luke 21.34 The meaning of which speeches is that by eating and drinking and caring for the world excessively or overmuch the soule of man is pressed downe and laid groveling upon the earth so that it is unfit for any heavenly thoughts And this we find to bee true by dayly experience For if we feed to the full on the Lords day at dinner wee are the worse disposed to heare or pray or serve God any way in the afternoone And therefore if we desire to profit by our hearing we must beware of full feeding especially we must take heed that a full stomacke doe not cause a drowsie head 2. In sleeping men offend both wayes both by defect and excesse 1. By defect and so they offend who on the Saterday night do continue so long at their worke that they are sleepie the next day when they should serve God in good duties For this wee may be well assured of that they who work when they should sleepe will sleep when they ought to work because nature if it be defrauded of its ordinary rest will still bee seeking of a supply of that which is wanting And therefore those that would be cheerefull in holy exercises on the Lords day must give themselves sufficient rest the foregoing day Yea and if I might advise they should allow somewhat more then ordinary at that time because it is harder to forbeare sleepe in the Church where wee sit still without moving then it will bee in our shops or in places abroad where we are stirring and moving about our occasions and intent upon our Trades and businesse 2 Wee offend herein by excesse also So they do who slugge it so long in their beds on the service-Service-day as that some part of Gods service is past before they are ready to come This fault deserveth reprofe in two respects 1. Because it argueth a great coldnesse in holy duties and a dead spirit to God-ward For what wee do willingly and with a cheerefull minde that wee do speedily and without lingring or delay Wee reade of Shechem Hamors sonne when hee had a grant of Dinah Iacobs daughter to be his wife upon condition that hee and his people would bee circumcised that he deferred not to doe the thing because hee had delight in Iacobs daughter Gen. 34.19 And so if men have a delight in spirituall exercises they will take the first opportunity and not deferre and loyter about the businesse So when Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son the Text saith noting thereby his ready obedience that hee rose early in the morning to go speedily about the work Gen. 22.3 And of Iacob it is said in like sort that to expresse his thankfulnesse for Gods mercies hee rose up early in the morning and set up a pillar c. Gen. 28.18 And so on the contrary of wicked men who pursue their sinfull pleasures with delight it is said that they rise early to go about their work So drunkards are said to rise early in the morning that they may follow strong drink Isa 5.11 And the inhabitants of Ierusalem rose early and corrupted all their doings Zeph. 3.7 Yea and God himselfe to note his hearty desire of mans salvation saith of himselfe I spake unto you rising up early and speaking but yee heard not Ier. 7.13 and verse 25 I have sent unto you all my servants the Prophets dayly rising up early and sending them By all which and other places of the like kind we may see that early rising for the doing of any thing is taken as an argument of hearty affection and love to the same thing And so on the contrary slugging and delaying is an argument of little affection and love And hereby it appeareth that their devotion is cold in Gods service who lie in bed so long that they come late and tardie to the worke 2. This fault of slugging long in bed is
care to expell For every such lust is a superfluitie of naughtinesse which hindreth our growing by the word For example if there bee a lust of adultery and uncleannesse that is a superfluity of naughtinesse purge out this or else it will hinder your growth in grace And if there be a lust of pride and vaineglory that is a superfluity which must bee purged out or else the word will not enter in And so I may say of covetousnesse and of malice and of revenge and of every evill lust they be superfluities of naughtinesse and if they be suffered to harbour in the soule they will shut the doore against all good instructions Vse 3. There is hence encouragement and comfort for all true hearted Christians because having purged out their lusts and resolving to do what God shall command they are rightly qualified for hearing of Gods word If any thing be necessary to be knowen which is too hard for their understanding Gods promise is that he will reveile it unto them and leade them in the right way Our Saviour hath said If any man will do Gods will hee shall know of the doctrine whether it bee of God or no. Ioh. 7.17 Where 1. when he saith If any man will do Gods will he meaneth if hee be resolved to performe whatsoever God shall cōmand him And 2. when hee saith of such a man that he shall know of the doctrine whether it bee of God he meaneth he shall bee guided to know and understand the maine points of faith even so much as may serve to save his soule For first the eie of his soule is cleare from mists and foggs of passion by reason whereof hee will discerne those truths which are proportionable to his understanding And secondly if any thing be too high for his apprehension God will reveile that unto him by one meanes or other rather then so faithfull a servant of his should erre from the right way that leadeth to eternall life And consequently he that doth settle his heart in a sincere purpose to do what God shall enjoyne him in his word may bee confident in this hope that he shall not erre with danger to his soule A great comfort this may bee to a true Christian in these wrangling times and dayes of contention wherein variety of questions doth much distract the minds of many men My conclusion is this when we go to heare Gods word preached or take a Bible into our hands to reade let us abandon every knowen sinne and resolve to serve God in every knowen duty and then our comfort is we shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free CAP. XIII Duties to be performed in the time of our hearing Cap. 13 HItherto of preparative duties which go before our hearing now wee are to consider of duties required in the time of hearing And they as I conceive of them at this time are three 1. Attention to the things which are spoken 2. Reverence to the person that speaketh and 3. wisdome in fitting all to our owne use I. The first is Attention And that as * Nigron de exhor domest cap. 5. nu 15. p. 89. one defineth it not unfitly is seria diligens animi applicatio ad ea quae dicuntur a serious applying of the minde to the things that are said or it is when we bend the mind and understanding to observe and mark that which is spoken Concerning this dutie there are two things to bee declared 1. What use and necessitie there is of it in our hearing and 2. what meanes wee may use for attaining to it I. What use there is of it And the answere is the uses of it are three especially 1. Attention is that which doth enlive our hearing and maketh it effectuall and profitable For if we heare and attend not we do not learn by the instructions that should teach us we are not moved by the exhortations that should perswade us to well-doing nor are we feared by the threatnings that should deterre us from sin In summe whatsoever is said to do us good is as water spilt upon the ground that cannot be taken up for any use But Attention in hearing is like the plough that goeth before the Sower For as the plough openeth the ground that the seed may enter in and take root under the furrows so attention setteth open the heart that it may receive the word in when it is spoken by the Preacher And therefore when the Scriptures do describe diligent zelous Hearers they set them out by their attentivenes to the word spoken Thus it is said of the people in Nehe. time that the eares of all the people were attentive unto the booke of the Law when it was read unto them Nehem. 8.3 And so of the people in our Saviours time it is said that they were very attentive to heare him or as the other Translation hath it they hanged upon him when they heard him Luk. 19.48 The meaning is Mark 6. their mindes did hang upon his lips to suck-in his doctrine as the childe hangeth upon the dugs that hee may suck in his mothers milk Whence wee are further advertised that as children who follow the dug do thrive and grow by the milk so the hearer that is attētive to the word doth grow and thrive by it But without attention as our prayers are a lip-labour which God respecteth not and for which he reproveth the Jews This people draweth neere unto mee with their mouth and honoreth mee with their lips but their hearts are farre from me Matt. 15.8 so without attention our hearing is an ear-labour of which God may say by the same reason This people draw neere unto mee with their eares but their heart is farre from mee Attention then is therefore necessary because it maketh our hearing profitable availeable 2. Attention to GODS word maketh God willing and ready to instruct us and lead us by his grace For as we use to say of wise men that they strike while the yron is hot because then it will yeeld to the hammer and may easily be facioned as the workman will so God dealeth with his people when they are ready rightly disposed for his blessings then hee useth to bestow them Open thy mouth wide said God and I will fill it Psal 81.10 So if men open their hearts bee ready to receive then God openeth his hand and powreth in his blessings But if men shut their mouths when they should receive God will shut his hand when hee should give And there is great reason for it For a wise householder because he will not have his wine spilt therefore will not powre it upon the vessel when the mouth is stopped And so our wise God be-because hee would not have his graces lost will not bestow them when men are not fit to receive them This point is clearly manifested in the example of Samuel When God called Samuel Samuel once and again