the Lord hath commaunded vs in this place Now if it bee our dutie in affliction to flie vnto the Lord by prayer it may not be denied but that we are to pray in a sence of our want and consequently that wee are to be humbled vnder the mightie hand of God and that we are to mourne vnder the crosse because by our sinnes wee haue offended God our gracious and louing father and prouoked him to lay his rod of correction vpon vs. It becommeth not Christians when they are afflicted to be like Stoicks or stockes without sence and feeling for it is a signe of an hard heart not to mourn when God afflicteth Ier. 5. Lord thou hast stricken them but they haue not sorrowed thou hast consumed them but they haue refused to receiue correction Neither is there patience where this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or want of feeling is neither is it possible that any man should profit by affliction who taketh it not to heart neither hath any sence thereof Iob though the most notable patterne of patience yet was he notably humbled vnder the hand of God For when the tidings were brought him of those manifold calamities which had befallen him it is said that he arose and rent his garment and shaued or polled his head and fell downe vpon the ground and worshipped And Dauid who was both a valiant man and a man according to Gods owne heart professeth of himselfe Psal. 6. That he fainted in his mourning that he caused his bed to swim euery night and that he watered his couch with teares And Psal. 38. that he went mourning all the way that he roared for the very griefe of his heart c. Wherefore the hardnesse of their hearts is greatly to be lamented who are touched with no sence of this common judgement neither take to heart this fearefull plague for of such may the Lord most justly take vp that complaint Ier. 2. I haue smitten your children in vaine they receiued no correction And yet more fearefull is their estate of whom that complaint of the Prophet Esay is verified chap. 22. In that day the day of publicke trouble and common calamitie did the Lord God of hosts call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and girding with sackeloth and behold ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking for to morrow we shall die But what followeth And it was declared in the eares of the Lord of hosts Surely this iniquitie shall not be purged from you till you die sayth the Lord God of hosts But to conclude this point let vs follow the aduice of the Lord by his Prophet Ioel Therefore also now the Lord sayth Turne you vnto me with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning rent your hearts and not your garments and turne to the Lord your God c. And thus it appeareth that if we are to call vpon God in the day of trouble then are wee to humble our selues before God in the sence of our miserie Againe if we are to pray in affliction we must pray with feruencie and with faith for the sence of our want must not dismay vs or discourage vs from calling vpon God but must serue as a spurre to pricke vs forward and to stirre vs vp to pray with feruencie of spirit and with sighes that cannot be expressed And that wee may pray with the more earnestnesse it is very expedient that with our prayer we should joyne fasting onely let vs take heed that our fasting bee not externall onely but that it be an extraordinarie exercise of prayer and repentance least wee seeme to fast no better than the beasts of Niniuie And as wee are to pray with feruencie so also with faith being assured that the Lord doth not onely accept of vs and our prayers in the name mediation of Christ but also that our request shall be graunted to vs so farre forth as is expedient for Gods glorie and our good For as Iames sayth If any man want wisdome namely how to demeane himselfe in affliction let him aske of God who giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him But let him aske in faith and wauer not c. For it is the prayer of faith that saueth the sicke and helpeth in affliction And this faith as it must relie vpon the intercession and mediation of Christ our Sauiour who presenteth our prayers vnto God and perfumeth them with the odours of his owne sacrifice that they may be acceptable vnto him so also vpon the gracious promises of God made vnto vs in Christ and namely and especially vpon this promise Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee Which promises of God if we cannot find in our hearts to beleeue to what purpose should we pray Wee are therefore to pray in faith and thereby to comfort our selues in the Lord our God and to rest quietly in his good will and pleasure assuring our selues That God will cause all things to worke together for the good of those that doe loue him Lastly we must pray with perseuerance and without fainting as our Sauiour teacheth vs by the parable of the widdow and the judge Luke 18. And therefore wee must not thinke that euery delay is a finall repulse but by the delay of the benefit which we aske our desire of obtaining it should be encreased And hereunto belong the exhortations of the Apostle Rom. 12. Col. 4. to perseuere in prayer and to watch in the same with thankes-giuing And to apply this exhortation to the present occasion If God in this common visitation doth not seeme to heare vs at the first and according to our desire remooue his plague from vs wee must neither faint in prayer as though he did altogether reject vs neither must we circumscribe or limit him as that if he deliuer vs not by such a time wee will call vpon him no more but wee are with faith and perseuerance to craue and with hope and patience to expect his grace and mercie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to helpe in due and conuenient time As therefore it is our dutie to call vpon God in the time of trouble so must we be carefull if wee would bee heard to pray according to God or as Iohn more plainly speaketh according to the will of God and namely and especially that wee pray with sence and feeling of our want with feruencie of desire to haue our wants supplied and our requests graunted with assurance of faith grounded on the mediation of Christ and on the promises of God and lastly with perseuerance and patience without fainting or circumscribing of God to wait vpon him for his mercie to be exhibited vnto vs in due time And forasmuch as we know not what to pray as we ought
and judging those who are in affliction as though they were wicked men or hypocrits Which was a foule ouersight in the three friends of Iob who condēned him to be an hypocrit because God had so grieuously afflicted him And herein those curious persons did offend which we mentioned Luk. 13. for they supposed that those Galileans whose bloud Pilat mingled with their sacrifices were grieuous sinners in comparison of themselues In like sort the Barbarians when they saw the viper light on the Apostles hand They said among themselues surely this man is a murtherer whom though he had escaped the se◠yet vengeance hath not suffered to liue The vse then which we are to make of Gods judgements vpon others is in steed of censuring them to judge our selues and by the example of Gods correction vpon them if we will not be like to Balthasar our selues to learne repentance For if we in this time of the plague shall take occasion by the judgement of God vpon others to thinke better of our selues and worse of them we may feare least that sentence of our Sauiour may worthily bee applied to vs Doe you thinke that they which are visited are greater sinners than those commonly are which escape the plague I tell you nay but except you amend your liues you shall all likewise perish Neither let the Papists or Atheists thinke the worse of that religion which is professed among vs because the hand of God is vpon vs for as Peter sayth Iudgement beginneth at the house of God And those sinnes which the Lord seemeth to winke at or to passe ouer in others he will not suffer to goe vncorrected in his children Which course the Lord taketh with his children both in respect of his glorie and their good for if the Lord should spare them hauing committed some open sinne the enemies of God would be readie to object that God were a fauourer of such offences and that such sinnes were the fruits of that religion which his seruants professe But in respect of their good also the Lord correcteth his owne children sometimes when he seemeth to spare the wicked least with the wicked they should goe on in their sinnes to their destruction As the Apostle sayth When we are iudged we are chastified of the Lord that wee should not bee condemned with the world Thirdly from this doctrine let Atheists and Papists and all other wicked persons receiue this terror for if the Lord doth correct his owne deare children with whom he is reconciled in Christ how shall his enemies thinke to escape who haue no part in Christ For as Peter sayth The time is that iudgement hath begun at the house of God But if it begin with vs what shall be the end of those who obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely be preserued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare Behold sayth Salomon the righteous shall be recompenced that is corrected in the earth how much more the wicked and the sinner 2. Wee haue heard that it is the lot of the righteous to be afflicted in this world let vs now see what is their dutie when they are afflicted for that is the second thing which is here to be considered namely to pray that God would deliuer them or else arme them with patience Call vpon me sayth he in the day of trouble In like sort Iames Is any among you afflicted let him pray But here some bodie will object who seemeth to himselfe wiser than his fellowes that our times are set and appointed of God in his immutable decree which we may not hope to alter or change by our prayers I answere that Daniel although he knew by the prophecie of Ieremie that seuentie yeares were appointed to the captiuitie of the Iewes in Babylon yet notwithstanding he thought it his dutie in the end of those yeares to call vpon God for the deliuerance of his people for hee well knew which we must also acknowledge that as the Lord appointeth the end so also he appointeth the meanes among which the principall is prayer On the other side Ezechias although hee heard by the Prophet the sentence of the Lord That he should die and not liue notwithstanding by prayer obtained the prolonging of his life For as God had decreed to adde to his life fifteene yeares so he decreed prayer to be the meanes whereby that addition should be obtained And so the Niniuits though the Prophet Ionas had told them and they beleeued him that their citie within fortie dayes should be destroyed yet by humbling themselues before God by fasting and prayer and repenting from their euill wayes they escaped that common destruction And hereunto may bee added the examples of the faithfull in all ages who hauing called vpon God in their trouble haue beene deliuered out of their distresse Adde also the testimonie of Iames that the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much with God and also the commandements of God and his gracious promises both in this place and elsewhere in the Scripture And let vs know that it is damnable curiositie vnder a pretence of submitting our selues vnto the secret will of God to rebell against his will reuealed For as Moses sayth The secret things belong to the Lord our God but the reuealed things vnto vs and to our children for euer that we may doe all the words of this law But by this reason a man might as well refuse his food because the day of his death is appointed and cannot be altered by him which euery man knoweth to bee both wicked and foolish Let vs therefore know that whatsoeuer the secret will of God is concerning vs that his reuealed will is that in this time of affliction we should according to the example of Dauid pray vnto him and let vs assure our selues of this That if God in his secret counsell hath decreed to deliuer vs for our good he hath also decreed that our deliuerance shall bee begged and obtained by prayer Yea but sayth another afflictions must be borne patiently and meekely and therfore wee may not pray against them I answere that these things may well stand together for we must patiently beare afflictions and yet pray against them Indeed we may not pray against them absolutely but in our prayers we are willingly to submit our selues to the good will and pleasure of God and resigne our selues into his hands following therein the example of our Sauiour Christ O my father sayth he if it be possible let this cup passe from me neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And of Dauid who in his greatest distresse said Behold here am I let the Lord doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes Wherefore whiles it pleaseth God to continue the affliction we are patiently to beare it and yet without fainting to call vpon God for deliuerance for so
carefull to auoid our sinnes if we desire that our affliction may be remoued for they are as a wall of separation betwixt God and vs. If therefore thou wilt not ceasse to sinne neither will God ceasse to afflict thee vnlesse perhaps hee will giue thee ouer as one that is incurable as Phisitians sometimes giue ouer their patients when they thinke them past cure And to conclude this point if when thou callest vpon God in the time of trouble the Lord doth not deliuer thee examine they selfe whether thou doest not continue in sinne without repentance and if thou doest breake off thy sinne by repentance and turne vnto the Lord and he will heare thee for so he saith by the Prophet Esay after hee had protested that hee would not heare their prayers whiles they continued in their sinnes Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes before mine eyes ceasse to do euill learne to do well seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse defend the widdow Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wooll The second limitation is in respect of the prayer it selfe For we haue no assurance that God will heare euerie prayer but onely such as is made according to his will reuealed in his word as Iohn saith this is our assurance that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. We must therefore be carefull that our prayer be conformable to the word of God both in respect of the maner and forme how we pray and also in regard of the end as touching the manner there are three things which are especially required First that we pray in truth for it maybe that when thou callest vpon God thou prayest in hypocrisie and not from thine heart either because thou prayest with wandring thoughts or with fained lippes With wandring thoughts when as thy tongue vttering a prayer thy heart goeth a wandring or whoring after the vanities of this world or is otherwise distracted with other vnseasonable thoughts For if when thou commest neere to the Lord with thy lippes thou remouest thy heart from God thou maist justly feare left in steed of the blessings which thou seemest to aske thou pull down the judgements of God vpon thee according to the threatning of the Lord by the Prophet Esay chapter 29. For if thou shouldest joyne into one speech the thoughts of thy mind and the words of thy mouth both which the Lord doth vnderstand a like thou wouldest be ashamed to deliuer such a speech to a mortall man which thou art not ashamed to vtter vnto the immortall God Or how canst thou looke that God should heare or regard thy prayer when thou doest not heare nor regard thy selfe With fained lippes thou prayest when the desire of the heart doth not agree with the prayer of thy lippes when thou askest with thy mouth that which thou doest not desire with thine heart or when thou pretendest that in thy prayer which thou doest not intend or promisest that which thou doest not meane to performe this is no better than lying vnto God when men cry vnto God but not from their harts as the Prophet Hosea speaketh for what doth a man but lie when hee speaketh otherwise than he thinketh This is a common fault of men when they are in affliction to promise and pretend great matters when notwithstanding their heart is not vpright with God and therefore the more carefully to be auoided of vs lest we seeme with the vnsound Israelits when the hand of God was vpon them to go about to deceiue the Lord with our mouth and with our tongue to speake lies vnto him It is true indeed that God hath promised to heare the prayers of them that call vpon him but this promise is to bee vnderstood with restraint to them that call vpon him in truth As Dauid most plainely teacheth Psal. 145 The Lord is neare to all that call vpon him what to all yea to all that call vpon him in truth For that payer which is acceptable to God is not onely the moouing of the lippes or the speech of the tongue or the lifting vp of the eyes or hands but it is the lifting vp of our soules as Dauid describeth his prayer Psal. 25 A lifting vp of our hearts with our hands vnto God in the heauens as Ieremie exhorteth vs to pray it is the pouring forth of our soule before the Lord as Anna expresseth her prayer 1. Sa. 1 and as Dauid willeth vs to pray Ps. 62. The second thing required in respect of the maner is that we pray with feruencie of spirit It may be when thou callest vpon God thou prayest for fashion rather then for feeling and so vtterest a cold or luke-warme prayer like to thy selfe which thou mayst justly feare is no more acceptable vnto God than luke-warme water to the stomacke It is true that the prayer of the righteous man auaileth much but with this addition if it be feruent This is that prayer which pierceth the clouds and is effectuall with God If therefore we would obtaine our sute let vs craue the assistance of Gods spirit by whose helpe and direction we may pray with sighes that cannot be expressed let vs learne to poure forth our soules like a streame of water let vs as the Apostle speaketh in the Epistle to the Thessalonians pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superabundantly or exceedingly let vs with reuerence be it spoken to the glorious majestie of God wrestle with the Lord in our prayers as the Apostle speaketh which kind of wrestling Iacob hauing vsed Gen. 32 he became Israell that is one which preuaileth with God as the Prophet Hosea sheweth chapter 12.3 4. The third thing required in the manner is that wee pray with faith It may bee when thou prayest thou art in doubt whether thou shalt be heard and therefore mayst not looke to obtaine thy sute For it is the prayer of faith to which the promise is made whatsoeuer you aske in prayer saith our Sauiour Christ if you beleeue you shall receiue it Likewise Iames If any man saith he want wisdome let him aske it of God and it shall be giuen him But let him aske in saith and wauer not for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the wind and caried away Neither let that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. If therefore thou wouldest pray acceptably thou must pray with faith for without faith it is impossible to please God With faith I say in God for how canst thou call vpon him in whom thou doest not beleeue with faith in Christ being assured that both thou though sinfull in thy selfe thy prayer though vnperfect in it selfe
strike vs or else as he hath threatned to lay his judgements vpon vs then doth the Lord especially call vs to fasting and mourning howbeit the chiefe cause of mourning must be not so much the consideration of the judgement it selfe whether present or imminent as the detestation of our sinne whereby we haue offended God and prouoked him either to threaten or to inflict that judgement vpon vs. Examples hereof we haue in respect of judgements imminent in the Niniuits who when destruction was threatned against them for their sinnes humbled themselues before God in fasting and prayer In Iosaphat who hearing of an inuasion attempted against him by the Moabits and Ammonits feared and set himselfe to seeke the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah In respect of afflictions and calamities present as famine sword pestilence captiuitie and such like messengers of Gods wrath we haue both commaundements as our rules and examples as precedents in this behalfe In the time of famine the Lord by his Prophet Ioel commandeth the Iewes to turne vnto him with all their heart and with fasting weeping and mourning And to that end he biddeth them to proclaime and sanctifie a fast And as touching the sword when the men of Ai had discomforted the Israelits Iosua and the elders of Israell fasted vntill the euen In the time of captiuitie Daniel greatly desired the deliuerance of the Iewes out of the captiuitie of Babylon at the end of seuentie yeares according to the promise of the Lord by the Prophet Ieremie he turned his face vnto the Lord God and sought by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes And as touching sicknesse and mortalitie we haue a notable example in Dauid who when his child which hee had begotten in adulterie was sicke he besought God for it and fasted and went in and lay all night vpon the earth yea when some that prooued his enemies were sicke he professeth Psal. 35 that he clothed himselfe with sackcloth and humbled his soule with fasting and that he prayed for them with such compassion that hanging downe his head for griefe his prayer returned vpon his bosome And if fasting is to bee vsed for priuat persons when they are sicke much more in a publicke visitation and in the time of pestilence 15. These allegations therefore of holy Scripture may be sufficient directions for vs when we are to vndertake this exercise namely when we haue some vrgent cause of a more than ordinarie humbling of our selues before God in prayer And when such causes are offered we may not thinke that it is a thing meerely arbitrarie whether we will vse this exercise or not but by warrant of the former Scriptures we are to be persuaded that the Lord doth call vs to this exercise It is well said of Basill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The time of fasting is not euerie mans will but the necessitie of those who come to Gods worship and in a time of such necessitie to fast it is necessarie When as therefore there is publike necessitie those which are in publicke authoritie must thinke that a necessitie is imposed vpon them to blow the trumpet in Sion and to proclaime a fast And those which are in priuat place must thinke a necessitie imposed on them to obserue and sanctifie the fast And if it happen that they which are in authoritie neglect this duty then those who according to the example of the faithfull Ezek. 9 which were marked to saluation doe mourne either for the common calamities or for the common enormities of the time which are forerunners of calamities they are to vse this exercise priuatly and secretly which also they are to do when their owne necessities require As for those who neither by publicke calamitie nor priuat necessitie can be drawne to this dutie but continually take care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof they must know that they are but carnall mâ—n who as they sow to the flesh so of the flesh shall reape corruption 16. Thus we haue heard that the religious fast is a solemne exercise of religion to bee vndertaken of vs when we are humble suters to the Lord vpon some vrgent occasion Let vs now consider wherein this exercise doth consist which is expressed in the rest of the definition whereout we may gather that this exercise consisteth on two points viz. the outward or bodily and the inward or spirituall exercise The former being the means to the latter the latter being the end of the former for the bodily exercise profiteth little or nothing at all vnlesse it be referred to the spirituall exercise as a meanes to further it The bodily exercise is an outward abstinence from food and some other commodities and delights of this life and also from bodily labours and worldly businesse during the time of the fast which is a Sabbath of humiliation Here therefore we are to consider in respect of the outward exercise from what we are to abstaine and for how long 17. First we are to abstaine from food from whence the whole exercise hath his name And here we are to vnderstand not an abstinence in part nor a sober and abstemious vse of diet as I haue shewed before but a totall abstinence both from meat and drinke so farre as our health will permit for this is required to the nature of a fast as hath bene declared and further may bee proued by the examples of such fasts as are recorded in the scriptures Dauid when he fasted and mourned for the death of Abner swore that he would not tast bread or ought else till the Sunne were downe Ezra when he fasted for the sinne of the people he did neither eat bread that is not so much as bread nor drinke water that is not so much as water The fast which Esther required and performed was the totall abstinence from meat and drinke The Niniuits when they proclaimed a fast gaue a charge that none should tast any thing whether it were meat or drinke And of Paul it is sayd Acts. 9 that for the time of his fasting and prayer he did neither eat nor drinke That we should not thinke either that fasting is an abstinence from meat and not from drinke or that it standeth onely in choise of meats And yet this totall abstinence from meat and drinke is not so strictly required but that they whose health cannot beare it may for their necessarie sustenance take some little refreshing for the Lord who desireth mercie rather than sacrifice doth not so require this outward abstinence that it should impaire our health or make vs vnfit for his seruice in the spirituall exercise of the fast but that it might further vs therein But here we must take heed that we vse not this libertie as an occasion to the flesh pretending we cannot when
wee must therefore craue the assistance of Gods holy spirit the spirit of grace and supplication that he may helpe our infirmities and teach vs to pray according to God 3. The third thing to be considered is the person to whom our prayer is to be directed Call vpon me sayth the Lord our God the mightie God described vers 1. Hee sendeth vs not to any other either as deliuerers or as intercessours but commaundeth vs to come directly vnto himselfe For of them which in their necessitie flie vnto others may that complaint of the Lord bee verified My people haue committed two euils they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters to dig them pits euen broken pits that can hold no water Now we are to call vpon God first because it is he that afflicteth vs For when we are iudged that is afflicted we are chastised of the Lord. It is hee that maketh peace and prosperitie and it is he that createth euill and affliction And shall there be euill namely of affliction in a citie and the Lord hath not done it Seeing therefore it is the Lord that afflicteth vs it behooueth vs acknowledging the authour of our affliction to turne vnto him that smiteth vs as the Prophet Esay speaketh But here some man will say If God were the authour of mine affliction there were great reason that I should both patiently beare it and also flie vnto the Lord for deliuerance but this affliction which I sustaine it is to be imputed to the vnfaithfulnesse of such a pretended friend or to the mallice and injurie of such an enemie c. and therefore I see not why I may not wreake my selfe vpon them But I answere whatsoeuer is the seâ—ondarie cause of thine affliction be it the deuill himselfe it is the instrument of God who is the authour and principall cause thereof When it was told Iob that the Sabeans and Chaldeans had carried away his oxen and cammels he acknowledged the hand of God and said The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. When Shemei reuiled Dauid although his tongue were set on fire from hell as Iames speaketh of such cursed tongues notwithstanding Dauid acknowledged the cursed tongue of rayling Shemei to haue beene Gods rod to correct him And Ioseph likewise though hee knew that his brethren for mallice and enuie had sold him into Aegypt yet he acknowledgeth them to be the instruments of God who by their meanes did in great mercie send him before them to prouide for them in the time of famine Which must teach vs when we are wronged not with the dog to snarle at the staffe wherewith he is beaten but to turne to him that smiteth vs and to pray vnto him that it would please him to remooue his hand from vs. Secondly as the Lord afflicteth vs so it is he alone that can and will deliuer vs. For who is able without his leaue to remooue his hand from vs He is our refuge and deliuerer he is our hope and strength and a most present helpe in trouble Come therefore and let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoiled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will bind vs vp Thirdly he onely that commaunded vs to call vpon him he onely hath promised to helpe vs he onely is able to heare our prayers and to graunt our requests Therefore thou which hearest the prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come Fourthly when as we flie vnto the Lord in time of trouble we glorifie him acknowledging him to be infinitely good and therefore willing omnipotent and all-sufficient and therefore able to helpe and deliuer those which call vpon him And for this cause the Lord in this place preferreth the sacrifice of prayer before all the sacrifices of the law Wherefore grieuously do they offend who when the hand of God is vpon them doe not call vpon him for they are not onely injurious to themselues but to the Lord also whom they rob of that honour which is due vnto him And this commeth to passe either because they doe not acknowledge the hand of God but thinke it to be some misfortune or rest altogether in the secondarie causes after the manner of carnall and heathenish men or because they distrust Gods helpe and therefore either flie to witches and wizards that is to say to the instruments of the deuill that by his helpe the hand of God may be remooued from them or else to some other vnlawfull meanes whereby they make shift to saue their bodily life for a time with the wofull losse both of bodie and soule for euer or else because they beleeue not the promises of God made to our prayers and therefore are discouraged from praying and become desperat as though it would nothing auaile them to call vpon God 4. The fourth and last thing to be considered is the time when we are to pray vnto God We are to pray alwayes and without ceasing but especially as here we are directed in the day of trouble and that for these reasons First because our prayers then are most necessarie for then we feele and feeling doe confesse that Gods helpe is so necessarie for vs as that we vtterly are vndone vnlesse the Lord doe helpe and succour vs. Vnto thee O Lord sayth Dauid doe I crie ô my strength be not deafe towards me least if thou answere me not I be like to them that goe downe into the pit Secondly because our prayers then especially proceeding from the inward sence of our want are most feruent and effectuall For euen as water whiles it runneth at large hath a still motion but being gathered into straits runneth with violence so it fareth with many men who being at large in ease and prosperitie either pray not all or very coldly but being brought into straits they poure forth their soules before the Lord like to a streame of water as the Prophet Ieremie speaketh To which purpose Esay sayth Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they poured out an humble and effectuall prayer when thy chastening was vpon them Thirdly because the Lord doth therefore afflict vs that we should flie vnto him therefore doth he bereaue vs of other helpes and meanes that wee might the more firmely relie vpon him For if wee were not afflicted it may be we should not seeke to him or if wee had other meanes we would relie vpon them This is testified by the Lord himselfe in the prophesie of Hosea For I will be sayth he vnto Ephraim as a Lion and as a Lions whelpe to the house of Iudah I euen I will spoile and goe away I will take away and none shall reseue it I will goe and returne to my place that is I will withdraw my comfortable presence from them for a time till they acknowledge their fault and seeke me In their affliction they will
seeke me diligently saying Come let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoyled and he will heale vs c. And the same may bee confirmed by the examples of men in all ages who in their trouble doe call vpon the Lord. The Israelits though a rebellious people yet when the Lord slew them they sought him and they returned and sought God early Manasses though the most wicked of all the kings of Iudah yet when he was in tribulation being taken captiue and bound in chaines and carried to Babylon he prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed vnto him c. The prodigall sonne though he had runne a leaud course yet when he was pinched with penurie then hee did bethinke himselfe of returning home to his father and falling downe before him said Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee c. And this is that which some doe well gather out of this text that God doth therefore afflict vs that we may call vpon him that calling vpon him we may be deliuered that being deliuered we may glorifie him Fourthly because the Lord many times doth therefore delay his helpe and deferre our deliuerance that our desire may be inflamed and our faith exercised as appeareth by the parables of the two friends Luke 11.5.8 and of the widdow and the judge and the scope thereof Luke 18. by the practise of the Lord with the Israelits Iudg. 10. to whose request hee would not at the first condiscend but when they persisted in prayer confessing and forsaking their sinne it is said that his soule was grieued for the affliction of Israel by the behauiour of our Sauiour Christ towards the woman which was a Canaanit for when she had cried after him to haue mercie on her because her daughter was miserably vexed with a diuell and our Sauiour aunswered not a word she notwithstanding persisted in calling vpon him insomuch that his disciples came vnto him and besought him saying Send her away for she crieth after vs And although he answered that he was not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel notwithstanding shee importuneth him againe and comming vnto him worshipped him saying Lord helpe me And hauing receiued another repulse our Sauiour answering that it was not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to whelpes she acknowledged her selfe to be such a one but yet expected such crums as it were from his table Whereupon our Sauiour Christ hauing tried her sufficiently commendeth her faith and graunteth her request And lastly because the Lord in this place hath not onely commaunded vs to call vpon him in the time of affliction but also hath promised to deliuer vs. And therefore in obedience to this commandement and in faith in this promise wee are to poure foorth our soules before the Lord in the day of affliction But some man will aske When is this day of affliction wherein we are to call vpon God Affliction is euery thing that crosseth our lawfull desires and that is either priuat or publicke priuat either belonging to our selues or to others to our selues either in our soules as the anguish of the soule for sinne which is the greatest affliction or other heauinesse and passions melancholike or in our bodies as sicknesse infirmitie hurts or wounds or in our goods as pouertie want losses debts or in our good name as infamie by euill reports or slaunders or in those that belong vnto vs as wife children and seruants To others as to our kinred friends acquaintance neighbours countreymen brethren in Christ as all Christians are to be esteemed of vs though forrainers in respect of place and in respect of affection not well minded to vs for such a sympathie there ought to bee betwixt those that are members of the same bodie politick but much more of the same mysticall bodie of Christ especially when other respects also concurre of kinred amitie acquaintance neighbourhood c. that in a fellow feeling and Christian compassion we should mourn when other members of the same bodie are afflicted When the affliction therefore belongeth to our selues we are in our owne behalfes to call vpon God when to others we are in tender compassion of their griefe to commend their cause to God in our prayers Dauid when those who indeed were his enemies were afflicted he humbled himselfe in fasting and prayer for them Psal. 35.13 In like sort he mourned and fasted for the death of Saule and Ionathan 1. Chron. 10. and also of Abner 2. Sam. 3. Publicke affliction is when the countrey the Church or Commonwealth is afflicted with any common calamitie as famine sword pestilence desolation captiuitie and such like Let vs therefore consider whether this present time be a time of affliction or not and if it be let vs know that this commaundement belongeth vnto vs and that the Lord calleth vs to fasting and prayer Be it that in respect of thy selfe and those that belong to thee thou hast no cause of mourning as who almost is free yet thy brethren thy sisters thy friends thy countreymen thy fellow members in the bodie of Christ are visited by the hand of God or the places of their dwelling at least infected with this contagious sickenesse Did Dauid fast and mourne and pray for his enemies when they were in affliction and doest not thou mourne for thy deare brethren and friends But though we had no priuat cause of griefe yet the common calamitie should most of all affect vs seeing the chiefe cities and many other places of the land the Lord shooting his arrowes on euery side are visited with the fearefull plague of pestilence What shall we thinke because we as yet through the goodnesse of God haue escaped this plague that therefore it is not a time of affliction wherein wee are to humble our selues before God by fasting and prayer Farre be it from vs that we should be so hard-hearted as that we should not take to heart the affliction of Ioseph or such vnnaturall members of the bodie politicke or vnsound and rotten members of the mysticall bodie of Christ as that when the chiefe citie and as it were the head of our countrey besides many other places and persons is so grieuously afflicted that we should not condole and mourne together with them and pray to God for them Or may we think that because our selues and perhaps also the places where we dwell are free that therefore this affliction and judgement doth not concerne vs yes beloued it doth neerely concerne vs. For that this affliction is laid vpon the land for sinne we need not doubt seeing the Scripture so oft doth teach that truth Behold sayth the Prophet Esay thou art angrie when we offend Dauid testifieth that the Lord with rebukes doth chastise men for sinne and Ieremie That men are punished for their sinnes insomuch that afflictions
measure of their graces either in respect of the greatnesse or of the continuance that patience may haue her perfect worke in them And hence it is that the best men haue endured the greatest trials as appeareth in Abraham Dauid and Iob c. Wherefore Iames exhorteth vs to count it exceeding ioy when we fall into manifold temptations knowing that the triall of our faith for so he calleth affliction bringeth foorth patience And let patience sayth he haue her perfit worke that you may be perfit and entire lacking nothing If the Lord doe trie vs to discouer and bewray our weakenesse that so hee may abate our pride and humble vs before him it is sometimes expedient that the afflictioÌ„ should be prolonged though to our griefe for the present yet to our good in the end Because many men are able to endure the first brunt and therein greatly please themselues who notwithstanding in the continuance of the affliction doe notably bewray their weakenesse But because this kind of triall is also a chastisement let vs consider those fruits and effects which the Lord by chastisements doth worke in his children 1. First therefore the Lord doth chastise vs that hee might teach vs to know our selues and acknowledge our sinnes and might humble vs vnder his hand for prosperitie puffeth men vp and maketh them forget themselues 2. That he might stirre vs vp to call vpon him often and that with feruencie of spirit for when men enjoy their ease they are not vsually either so feruent or so frequent in prayer 3. That he might reclaime vs from sinne and might mortifie our corruptions for as fire purgeth gold so doth affliction the children of God 4. That he might teach vs obedience by those things which we suffer 5. That hee might waine our soules from worldly desires 6. That he might exercise and strengthen our faith and patience Well then call thy selfe to an account thou which thinkest it so long till thou bee deliuered First art thou not yet humbled vnder the mightie hand of God but continuest still as proud and as vaine as in former times assure thy selfe it is good for thee that thine affliction should be continued that thou mayest learne humilitie and the knowledge of thy selfe and mayest be brought to a more serious consideration of thy sinnes and of thy wretched estate in thy selfe 2. Doest thou not flie vnto the Lord by prayer or if thou prayest doest thou pray but coldly and as it were for fashion sake therefore the Lord delayeth to helpe and deliuer thee that thou mayest learne to call vpon him seriously and feruently 3. Hast thou not yet repented thee of thy sinne whereby thou diddest prouoke the Lords anger against thee Hast thou not yet turned to him that smiteth thee Therefore doth he continue thine affliction as thou continuest thine impenitencie and as thou delayest thy repentance so doth he delay his helpe 4. Hast thou not yet learned obedience by that which thou doest suffer Therfore doth he still continue thine affliction to teach thee obedience and to make thee partaker of his holinesse for although the chastisement of God vpon thee seeme grieuous for the time yet in the end it will bring foorth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto thee who art exercised thereby For which cause Dauid as hee professeth of himselfe that it was good for him that hee had beene afflicted that â—e might learne the statutes of the Lord so he pronounceth that man blessed whom the Lord doth chastise and teach in his law c. 5. Art thou still addicted to the world minding and affecting things below more than the things which are aboue Therefore the Lord mingleth thy worldly prosperitie with the gall of affliction that as nurses by laying bitter things vnto their dugs doe waine their children from them so hee by affliction might waine thee from the world and that through bearing the crosse thou mightest bee crucified to the world and the world to thee 6. Hast thou not yet learned patiently to beare the crosse to repose thine affiance in God more than in the meanes which God permitteth to thee Therefore doth he still continue thine affliction that thy patience might be exercised and by exercise confirmed as the Scriptures testifie therefore doth the Lord bereaue thee of other meanes that thou mightest relie onely vpon him Here then we are to be admonished to make a right vse of our afflictions and as we desire to be deliuered for our comfort so to labour that these or such like effects may by our affliction be wrought in vs for if wee desire to bee deliuered out of affliction before it hath wrought any good effect in vs wee desire vnawares that God should giue vs ouer as incorrigible When as therefore a faithfull man hath prayed effectually vnto the Lord for deliuerance out of affliction and yet is not deliuered let him know that it is not good for him to be deliuered as yet And withall let him bee persuaded of these two things First that God doth chastise him in loue for his profit according to his necessitie as being not delighted with our afflictions and therefore inflicteth vpon him no greater measure of affliction than in his fatherly wisedome he thinketh necessarie And therefore wee ought to possesse our soules in patience committing and resigning our selues into the hands of almightie God as of a most wise and louing father and most expert phisition of our soules A sonne that hath any grace in him will meekely submit himselfe to the chastisement of a wise and carefull father how much more ought we to submit our selues to the correction of our heauenly father A man that hath in his bodie any wounds or sores he will not onely be patient but thankefull also towards the surgeon that launceth or seareth his bodie that hee may cure it how much more ought we patiently and thankefully to suffer the Lord to afflict our bodies that he may saue our soules Secondly let him be assured that the Lord doth neuer reject the effectuall prayer of a faithfull man but alwayes heareth the same graciously if not according to his desire yet according to his profit yea that hee alwayes graunteth it if it be rightly conceiued For as we are to aske spirituall graces necessarie to saluation absolutely so wee are to beleeue absolutely that God will graunt the same vnto vs yea this is a certaine and comfortable truth that whosoeuer hath thus much grace truly and earnestly to desire any sanctifying grace the same grace is alreadie begun in him the Lord accepting in his children the will for the deed And as wee are to aske temporall blessings conditionally so farre foorth as the graunting thereof may stand with Gods glorie and our euerlasting good so we are to beleeue and to be assured that God will graunt the same so farre forth as may be for the
God before those things which concerne not onely our temporall but also spirituall good The fourth last thing is a reproofe check of those who haue no zeale of Gods glorie for seeing the Lord promiseth to the faithfull that they shall glorifie him and elsewhere by oath confirmeth that to those that he re-redeemeth he will giue this grace to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse therefore we may easily discerne in what number they are to be reckoned who haue no care to praise God for this deliuerance neither haue any desire to glorifie him To conclude therefore that this affliction and hand of God afflicting vs may be remoued let vs flie vnto God by humble heartie and effectuall prayer as we are commanded in this place let vs humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God let vs turnâ— vnto him that hath smitten vs let us be carefull to meete him in his iudgements let vs repent of our sinnes let vs vnfainedly vow the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing and a serious care hereafter to glorifie God that so with better assurance of faith we may intreat him to deliuer vs let vs be mindfull to glorifie him and to render our vowes vnto the most high that so it may plainely appeare that our preseruation and life is joyned with the glorie of God Otherwise if we shall forget this great mercie of God and dishonour him by our sinnes we are to feare lest some more grieuous iudgement shall befall vs. As our Sauiour Christ said to the man whom he had cured Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS VVhat fasting in generall is viz. Not a sober Or abstemious vse of food But an vtter abstinence therefrom Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas Varinus Nor yet a forced abstinence Act. 27.33 Or want Psal. 102.4 109.24 Amos 4.6 Act. 27.21.33 But a voluntarie forbearing of food Mat. 15.33 Maâ— 8.3 Mat. 6.16.17 18 The sorts of fasting For it is either naturall or ciuile 1. Sam. 14.24 or spirituall Hieronymus And that is either the moral and chast fast or the religious and deuout fast VVhat the chast fast is 1. Thess. 4.4 5. 2. Cor. 6.19 And what other helpes must concurre therewith viz. 1 Sobrietie in moderating not only the inward fancies affections bâ—â— also the outward seâ—ces Psal. 119.37 Iob. 3â— 1 Eccles. 9.8.9 2 Temperancie in diet Mat. 19 11. 1. Cor. 7.7 3. Prayer 4. Vigilancie 1. Pet. 4.7 1. Thess. 5.6 5. Diligence painefulnesse Auoiding contrariwise intemperancie in diet Hieronym 2. Cor. 6.6 Ad Rusticum Monach. de viuendi formae Ad Furiam de viduitate seru. August de temp serm 56. Hieronym ad Eustoch de custodia virginit Ad Furiam de vidâ—itate seru. Terent. Eunuch Ouid. 2. de Remed Prou. 23.33 Gen. 19.32 33. Valer. Max. lib 2. c 1. Slouthfulnes c. Ezek. 16.49 Ouid. 2. de remed Theophrast Definit breuior 69. 2. Sam. 11. †Ergo vbi visus eris nostra medicabilis arte Fac monitis fugias otia prima meis Otia si tollaâ— periere Cupidinis arcuâ— c. Ouid. * Rom. 13.12 13 VVhich meanes of chastitie not sufficing in single life 1. Cor. 7.2 9. Men are bound to flie to mariage as the lawfull remedie against lust VVhat the religious fast is viz. § 2. That it is an exercise of religion ordained of the Lord. Both in the old TestameÌ„t and that not as ceremonial and peculiar to the Iewes Leuit. 16.29 23.27.29 Zac. 7.5 8.19 * Mat. 6.17 * Ioel. 2.13 Esay 58.5 1. King 21.27 Esay 58.5 Mat. 6 16. 2. Sam. 12.20 Esth. 4.1.3 Ezr. 9.3 Dan. 9.3 10.3 But as a morall and common to all Leuit. 23. Nehe. 8.9 10. Esth. 9.18 19. 2. Chro. 20.3 Ezr. 8.21 Ioel. 1.14 2.15 Leuit. 23.32 Esay 58.5.13 But also in the new Testament Mat. 6.16 Vers. 18. Mat. 9.14 Luk. 5.33 Mar. 2.18 Mat. 17.21 Luk. 2.37 Aâ—â— 13.3 Act. 14 2â— 2. Car. 11.27 And yet not ordinarily to be performed 1. Cor. 7.3.5 Mat. 9.15 Phil 4.4 1. Thes. 5.16 Mat. 9.16 Esay 22.12 Ioel. 2 1â— Leuit. 23.29 But extraordinarily as speciall and vrgent occasion is offered The causes of fasting are either the obtaining of some speciall good Nehe. 1.4.11 Ezr. 8.21 Esth. 416. Rom. 1.16 1. Cor. 1.21 Act. 13.3 14.23 Hicronym in pâ—ologo super Math. Or remouing of some euill whether it be the euill of sinne Act. 9.9.11 1. Sam. 7.6 Ezr. 9.3.6 10.6 Neh. 9.1.2 Or the euill of affliction that either imminent Esay 22.12 Ionas 3.5.6 Chro. 20.3 Or present As famine Ioel. 1.14 2.12.15 Ios. 7 6. Sword Captiuitie Dan. 9.3 Sicknesse and mortalitie 1. Sam. 12.16 Psal. 35.13 Vpon such occasions necessitie is imposed Esay 22.12 Definit breuior 129. 130. On publicke persons who haue authoritie to proclaime Ioel 2.25 And on priuat persons to obserue the fast Ezek 9.4 Math. 6.18 Rom. 13.14 Gal. 6. â— The religious fast consisteth on two parts viz the outward and the inward exercise 1. Tim. 4.8 In the outward exercise we are to consider from what we are to abstaine and for how long It is abstineÌ„ce first froÌ„ helpes of this life as first from food wholly 2. Sam. 3.35 Ezr. 10.6 Esth. 4 16. Ion. 3.7 Act 9.9 Math. 12.7 Gal. 5.13 The reasons why abstineÌ„ce from food is required Rom. 14.17 1. Cor. 8.8 Luke 21.34 Col. 2.23 2. Cor. 7.11 2 From sleepe in part Col. 4.2 1. Pet. 4.7 2. Sam. 12.16 Esth. 4.3 Ioel. 1.13 1. King 21.27 3 From ornaments costly attire Exod. 32. Exod. 33.1 Vers. 2. Vers. 3. Vers. 5. Vers. 4. Vers. 6. 4 From delights pleasures Quest. Euangel lib. 2. c. 18. 1. Cor. 7.5 Ioel 2.16 2 From bodily labours and worldly businesse Ioel. 1.14 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leuit. 23.36 Deut. 16.8 Leuit. 23.28.30.32 Why rest from labours is required Polit. 4.15 How long this abstineÌ„ce is to be vsed or the time of the fast Leuit. 23.32 Iudg. 20.26 2. Sam. 1.12 Ios. 7.6 2. Sam. 3.35 Hieronym in vita Hilarionis Esth. 4.16.17 Act. 9.9 1. Sam. 31.13 Dan. 10.2 3. Of the fortie dayes fast of Moses Elias and Christ. Dan. 10.3 1. Sam. 1.18 2. Sam. 12.20 Of the spirituall exercise or inward fast without which the outward is of no value Rom. 14.17 1. Tim. 4.8 Ion. 3. Iohn 4.23 24. Zach. 7.5 Vers. 5. Luk. 18.11 12 14. The inward fast is a solemn exercise of prayer ioyned with repentance Ezr. 8.21 Iam. 4.2 1 Iohn 5.14 Iam. 4.3 Esay 59.2 Iohn 9.31 Prou. 15.8.29 Mat. 11.21 Iob. 42.6 The two parts of repentance concurring with both the parts of prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 panitentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resipiscentia But for distinction sake we are first to speake of humiliatioÌ„ which is as it were a preparatiue to praier secondly of the parts and properties of prayer thirdly of
are accepted of God in Christ for this is to pray in the name of Christ by whom and in whose name we haue confidence accesse with assurance through faith in him with faith in the promises of God made to our prayers and consequently thou art to beleeue not onely that thou and thy praiers are accepted of God in Christ but also that thy particular request shall be graunted vnto thee Aske saith Christ and it shall be giuen you c. for whosoeuer asketh receiueth c. And againe Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer you shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you And thus were we to pray in respect of the manner viz. in truth and from our hearts otherwise our prayer is dead and without life in feruencie otherwise our prayer is cold and luke-warme in faith otherwise it is turned into sinne Againe our prayer must be conformable to the will of God in respect of the end It may be thou askest riches to spend the same vpon thy lust or thou askest deliuerance out of thine affliction that thou mightest follow the pleasures or haue opportunitie or leisure to follow thine accustomed sinne c. But we may so aske and yet notwithstanding the promise we may misse our desire for as Iames saith you aske and receiue not how so seeing Christ hath said aske and you shall receiue Because you aske amisse and wherein did they aske amisse in respect of the end that you might consume it on your lusts But we must remember that in this promise the Lord hath joyned these two together I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And therefore if we aske deliuerance we must aske it to this end that we may glorifie God Wherefore as it is good for the stirring vp of our feruencie and spirituall hunger with our prayer to joyne fasting so also it is expedient for the confirmation of our faith and setling our resolution in glorifying God to joyne with our prayers godly vowes of some things whereby God may be glorified And this hath bene the practise of the godly in all ages as of Iacob Genes 28. of Anna 1. Sam. 1. of Dauid c. The third limitation is in respect of the thing which is asked for if the cause why thou art not heard and deliuered is not to be imputed either to thy person being one that doth beleeue and repent or yet to thy prayer being framed in some measure according to Gods will both in respect of the manner and the end then art thou to be assured and vndoubtedly resolued that the thing which thou askest is either not good for thee at all or else not yet And that God doth alwayes heare his children praying vnto him effectually though not ad voluntatem according to their desire yet ad vtilitatem according to their profit For if earthly parents who are euill can giue to their children good gifts how much more shall our father which is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him Thou askest deliuerance out of affliction and God hath promised to deliuer his chileren that call vpon him but it may be it is not a good thing that thou shouldest be deliuered and therefore in that case deliuerance is neither included within the compasse of Gods promise nor yet intended in thy prayer if it be conceiued aright For a promise vnlesse it be of some good thing it is a threatning rather than a promise we must therefore remember that God hath promised to giue good things to them that aske him And that prayer which is conceiued aright for temporall benefits such as deliuerance out of affliction is must not bee made absolutly but with the condition of Gods glorie and our euerlasting good Whereas thou therefore askest deliuerance out of trouble that thou mightest be restored to thy former estate it may bee that it is better for thee to be taken out of this world that thou mayest change thy mortall life for an immortall and that a finall end may be put both to thy trouble and to thy sinne which is the cause of thy trouble It may be if thou shouldest liue longer thou wouldest be infected with the common corruptions of the time and therefore as it is said of Enoch Thou art taken away least wickednesse should alter thine vnderstanding or deceit beguile thy mind For when we are iudged that is afflicted though it be by bodily death wee are chastised of the Lord that wee should not be condemned with the world Or if thou shouldest bee continued longer in this life it may bee that such common calamities as the Lord is intended to bring vpon the land should happen in thy time and therefore God in great mercie taketh thee away as hee did the godly king Iosias that thou shouldest not see the euill which is to come as it is said of Esay 57. The righteous perish and no man takes it to heart mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euill to come Or else it is good for thee that the affliction which thou desirest to bee remooued from thee should be continued vpon thee thine estate and disposition being such that it is very needfull for thee to bee trained vp in the schoole of affliction and to be dayly exercised vnder the crosse And therefore if God doe see it good to take that course with thee thou must resolue with patience and comfort to take vp thy crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day by day as our Sauiour Christ hath warned thee and remember that it is good for a man if God doe so appoint to begin betimes and to beare the yoke of affliction euen in his youth Or at the least it is not good for thee as yet to be deliuered because the Lord hath not as yet attained to that end for which hee doth afflict thee For if it haue beene good for Dauid and the rest of Gods children that they haue beene afflicted not in respect of the afflictions themselues but in regard of those profitable and excellent fruits which the holy ghost by their afflictions worketh in them then assuredly it is not good for thee that thine affliction should cease before it hath wrought such good effects in thee as the Lord by it intendeth to worke vnlesse thou wouldest giue the Lord occasion to complaine that thou art one of those whom he afflicteth in vaine Now the Lord afflicteth his seruants either for their triall or for their chastisement The Lord trieth them by afflictions either that his graces may appeare in them to his glorie and the good example of others or that their weakenesse may be manifested for their owne amendement and instruction of others If hee trie men for the manifestation of his graces in them it is expedient that they should bee tried by a triall proportionable to the