Medicines for the Plague, Collection of sermons · Sermon 17
The ſeuenteenth Sermon vponupon the fifth verſe.
That we may reioyce in thy ſaluation, &c.
WE muſt conſider who they be that ſpeake thus, and of whom they ſpeake it: they are the ſubiects that thus ſpeake of their king: and they ſay, that they will reioyce, when God ſhall ſaue him: ſo they ſpeake not of themſelues, but of him. Such then is and ought to be the vnity of the prince and the people, as of the members of the bodie and of the head: that they acknowledge the ſafegard of the king to be ſufficient cauſe of their ioy. VVe muſt then thus pray for the life and honour of our liege lord and Soueraine king,The welfare of the king is the peoples …y. not as one a loofe off from vsus, with whom we hauehave nothing to doe, nor he with vsus, and whoſe eſtate doth nothing concerne vsus at all; but as one in whoſe life is our preſeruation, and whoſe honour is our aduancement, in whoſe decay is our loſſe, and in whoſe ouerthrow is our vtter ruine. Therefore as wee muſt thinke that we ſhould hauehave great cauſe to be ſorrie, if any thing did befall his royall perſon otherwiſe than well; ſo that in his preſeruation and proſperitie we hauehave alwayes cauſe to reioyce:Rom. 13.4. For we know (as the Apoſtle ſaith) that kings and princes are miniſters of God for our wealth: that is, they are called of God vntounto thoſe high places, not for themſelues, but for the good of the people: therfore in their ſaluation we muſt reioyce, for it is ioyned with our owne wealth. And Saint Paule vntounto Timothie ſheweth this point more fully,1. Tim. 2.3. when he ſaith, That vnderunder them we lead a peaceable and quiet life, with all honeſty and godlineſſe: This benefit then we get by them, when they be good, we liue by their good gouernment, peaceably, honeſtly, and godlily: which are three great benefits, and without the which our life were no life: therefore we muſt pray for them,In this reſpect they ought to pray for his life. that by them we might inioy theſe great benefits, and ſo reioyce in his preſeruation by whoſe meanes we doe inioy them. For if the prince miſcarie any waies, we are in danger to leeſe all our wealth, yea peace, and all honeſt and godly liuing. For if there were no king at all, we may eaſily ſee in what lamentable eſtate we ſhould be; when as it is ſayd in the time of the Iudges,Judg. 21.25. In thoſe dayes there was no king in Iſrael, but eueryevery man did that which was good in his eyes: Thus would it be with vsus, and with all people, eueryevery man would do that, that ſeemed good in his owne eyes: and then what confuſion and diſorder would there be in the world? what peace, what godlineſſe, or what honeſtie could there be among men? And this is not once but three times at the leaſt ſet downe in that booke; in the beginning, middeſt, and endding of two notable and famous ſtories, which ſhew what kind of life was then amongſt them, euen ſuch as was neither peaceable and quiet, nor honeſt, nor godly. The one is of the Leuits concubine abuſed and oppeſſed euen vntounto death; & the other is of that idolatrie which began in the houſe of Micah, and ſo did ſpread it ſelfe ouer the whole tribe of Dan, and of the reſt; beſides that, the Leuites and miniſters of God were neglected then, and not ſufficiently prouided for: in the narration of which, this is often interlaced as a graue ſentence, ſhewing the cauſe of all that diſorder: In thoſe dayes there was no king or ſupreame gouernour in Iſrael, and ſo eueryevery man did that, which was good in his owne eyes: as if it had beene ſayd, Surely if they had had any good gouernour among them, and namely, one chiefe to ouerſee and rule the reſt, theſe abuſes had neuer broken out, or if they had, they ſhould neuer hauehave growen to ſuch an head. Beſides this, where there is a continuall ſucceſsion of kings, yet euen in the change of them to death, without a ſpeciall grace and bleſsing of God, there is great daunger of chaunge in the ſtate of the people. Therefore all people had need to pray for the life, health, & preſeruation of their kings, that ſo themſelues might reioyce, as they doe here.
And for proofe of this, we may eaſily conceiue how the people of Iſrael did flouriſh, and abound in all things in the dayes of king Solomon, by that which is written of them: he was a peaceable prince, and ſo the people had peace and wealth,1. King. 4.25. & 10.27. For eueryevery man did ſit quietly vnderunder his vine and vnderunder his figge tree, and none did raiſe them vp: and in his dayes ſiluer was as plentifull as the ſtones in the ſtreet, and Cedar in as great abundance as the wild figge trees which grow abundantly in the plaine: and ſuch almoſt was our caſe all the dayes of our renowned and worthie Queene Elizabeth; for wee had peace, and wealth, with the Goſpell alſo, in great abundance. But when Salomon died,For in the death of the prince there is great feare of alteration to the ſtate. what great alteration was there in the kingdome of Iſrael? when his ſonne Rehoboham refuſed the auntient counſellors of his father, and choſe new in their roome, like to himſelfe: whereupon there grew a faction and diuiſion, firſt among the nobles, and then among the reſt of the people: ſo that ten parts of his people fell cleane away from him, & from God too, euen to idolatrie, and to the golden calues in Dan and Bethel: ſo that there was much warre betweene them, and bloodſhed among them. Now when all this fell out, how did they ſee by experience, that they had cauſe before to pray for the life of Salomon their king, as the chiefe and onelyonly cauſe of their welfare and ioy? So we in like manner had great cauſe in this reſpect to pray for the life of our Queene, as we did, to preſerue her both againſt forraine inuaſions intended, and alſo ſecret treaſons and practiſes at home: for in her life we had great cauſe of ioy. And in all deliuerances of her from danger (which were many and great) wee had cauſe ſtill to reioyce: and ſo in her long life we did enioy the fruit of our prayers, for we did ſo much the more and longer reioyce in her, and in all benefits which wee enioyed by her: and we had iuſt cauſe to feare, that in her death we ſhould hauehave had more cauſe of ſorrow, than by the grace and merciemercy of God we had. But now we would be loath to hauehave any more changes on the ſudden, and therefore we are to pray earneſtly vntounto God for this our Soueraigne King, Iames, by the grace of God king of England, Scotland, Fraunce, and Ireland, defendor of the true auntient, Catholicke, and Apoſtolicke faith, and in all cauſes, as well Eccleſiaſticall as Ciuill, and ouer all perſons within theſe his realmes and dominions, next and immediatly vnderunder Chriſt Ieſus ſupreme gouernour and iugde: we are to pray for his life, and for the life of the Queene, the Prince, and all their noble and worthy ofspring: and for his maieſties perſon, that God would ſaue him from his enemies (as we ſee, that he hath not wanted ſome in this ſhort time of his raigne) that we might ſtill reioyce. And we muſt be thus perſuaded, that his ſaluation ſhall be ſtill our ioy, as this people doth thus here thinke of Dauid their king. Therefore as we deſire the continuance of our ioy and comfort, ſo let vsus ſtill pray for the preſeruation of his moſt excellent maieſtie, the meanes and cauſe of it.
For that which is ſayd of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, is true of all good kings, and namely of our ſoueraigne Lord King Iames moſt of all,Dan. 4.9. What benefits we inioy vnderunder his Maieſties gouernment. He was like a goodly great tree, whoſe bowes were faire, and the fruit thereof much, and it was meat for all: it made a ſhadow vnderunder it for the beasts of the field, and the foules of the heauen dwelt in the branches thereof, and all fleſh fed of it. So doe we vnderunder his gratious gouernment inioy defence and protection from all enemies, iniuries and wrongs, and it is as a ſhadow to vsus againſt the ſcorching heat of the ſunne: and by his meanes we peaceably inioy the vſe of all that we hauehave, both for meat and drinke, and all things needfull for the preſeruation of this life, and ſo we (as it were) feed of his fruit. Therefore we had need ſtill to pray for his preſeruation, not onelyonly that all theſe great benefits might be continued, but that we might ſtill reioyce in them, as now we doe: and let vsus be perſuaded, that as long as God ſhall preſerue him out of the handes of his enemies, and prolong his life, ſo long ſhall we hauehave cauſe to reioyce. VVhat ſhall we thinke then of them that hauehave ſought not the preſeruation, but the vtter ruine and finall ouerthrow of their naturall princes, kings, and Queenes? as wee hauehave had too great experience of it in this land, both in the dayes of our late good Queene Elizabeth, eſpecially, and alſo in this ſhort time of our now worthy king Iames: we muſt needs iudge of them not onelyonly as traitours to their perſons, but as common enemies to all the people of this land; in that they hauehave ſought to bereaue vsus and them of the chiefeſt cauſe of our ioy,Traytors are enemies to the common ioy. and ſo to caſt vsus into vntimely ſorrow. For as there was great lamentation among the Iewes, and not without cauſe,2 Chron. 35.24 25. at the death of that good and godly king Ioſiah, ſo that Ieremie the Prophet trembled alſo, and ſeemed to be the chiefe mourner: ſo had we no leſſe cauſe to lament at the death of our noble & vertuous Queene, and the miniſters of the Goſpell moſt of all, and all the vnfained profeſſors of the ſame; and ſhould hauehave had a great deale more, if ſhe had beene traitorouſly taken away before the full number of her dayes were expired, to the great diſturbance of the whole Realme, according to the deſperat and continual attempts of her enemies. And ſo ſhould we now ſtill hauehave, if any ſuch thing ſhould be offered vntounto his maieſties perſon. Therefore we muſt iudge of them, as of our greateſt enemies, who ſeeke to bring vponupon vsus a common ſorrow before the time. But let vsus lift vp, though not our hands, yet our voice againſt them, & pray vntounto God ſtill to diſappoint them of their treaſonable deuiſes and diuelliſh practiſes, and to preſerue our king, and all his, that ſo we may ſtill reioyce in their ſaluation, euen for Chriſt Ieſus his ſake.
In thy ſaluation, &c.
As all ſubiects principally ſhould by this example learne to pray for their kings, and all chiefe gouernours vnderunder them, That God would preſerue and bleſſe them, that they might thēſelues reioyce, becauſe they be worthy inſtruments of Gods goodneſſe vntounto them; which is the thing that hath bin handled alreadie: ſo all inferiours may here ſee as in a glaſſe, what minds they ſhould carry to all their ſuperiours, & thoſe that God hath placed in any roume, of what kind ſo euer they be; that they ſhould bee perſuaded, that in their preſeruation and welfare conſiſteth their owne ioy and comfort:All inferiors ſhould count the welfare of their ſuperiors their own ioy. and that they cannot miſcarrie, or any ill befall them, but themſelues muſt needs be ſorrowfull, and in that reſpect pray for them continually, be they neuer ſo meane. As with this mind & perſuaſion the people ſhould pray for their miniſter's and teachers, who watch for their ſoules, Heb. 13.17.and for the ſaluation of them, as the holy Apoſtle ſaith: For it is true that Chriſt ſaith of them, and was found moſt true in his owne perſon, That when the ſhepheard is ſmitten, Matth. 26.31.the ſheepe will be ſcattered: that is, when God taketh them away, who are their guiders, the people are in daunger to fall into all kind of error, hereſie, and ſinne, and to be diſtracted & ſcattered among themſelues, not onelyonly in iudgement but in affection: beſides, they may want the comfort of Gods word, and of their praiers. So ſhould all children be affected to their naturall parents, fathers & mothers; and alſo ſeruants to their maſters and gouernours: That ſeeing God hath placed them ouer them for their good, and they inioy ſo many great benefis in their houſes, and by their meanes, and ſo hauehave ſo many cauſes of reioycing from them & by them, they ſhould pray for their liues, health, and welfare, that they may reioyce there ſtill, for they ſhall hauehave their part in it, and it ſhall bee the better for them. And they muſt thinke before hand, that whē God takes them away, they ſhall hauehave great cauſe of ſorrow:And their death or hurt, their ſorrow. as we ſee how greatly Ioſeph lamented for his fathers death: who when he gaue vp the ghoſt,Gen. 50.1. Verſ. 11. His ſonne fell vponupon his fathers face, & wept: & ſo he cōtinued mourning for him a long time: & at his buriall there was ſuch great mourning for him, that the place had the name of it. And Eſau the ſonne of Izack, though he was a wicked & diſobedient child, as appeareth in his ſtorie,Heb 12.16. yea a prophane perſon (as the holy Ghoſt calleth him) yet he had ſo much grace in him (as we ſay) that hee thinketh of his fathers death before hand, as of a time of ſorrow and mourning, and ſo ſpeaketh of it,Gene. 27.41. ſaying, The dayes of mourning for my father will come ſhortly, that is, my father is old and will ſhortly die, and then I muſt mourne for him: which though hee ſpake with an ill mind, and to an ill end, (for in the hatred of his brother Iaakob he comforted himſelfe, that he might ſhortly kill him, when his father was dead) yet nature, & the good education which he had, had taught him to confeſſe, that when his father died, he ſhould hauehave cauſe to mourne. Therefore if there were no commaundement of God to bind them vntounto it, or any other reaſon to perſuade them, this were ſufficient to mooue them to pray for the life and health of their parents, that themſelues might ſtill reioyce: and not be graceleſſe, as to thinke, that if their fathers were dead, they ſhould be merry, & liue wel ynough, yea better than they do now, & ſo not to care whether they liue or die, yea, to wiſh rather that they were dead than aliue; as there are too many ſuch in the world, who in a wrong perſuaſion gape after their fathers death, as Abſolon did: but God can well ynough diſappoint thē of their long hope, as he did him.
We ought to pray for the good of others, that we might reioyce therein.But this doctrine is yet more generall, and doth concerne eueryevery one of vsus, and ſheweth that wee ought to beare that affection of brotherly louelove all of vsus one towards another, that we ſhould deſire and pray for the good and welfare one of another, not onelyonly, that they themſelues, but that wee might reioyce in that good, which God ſhall beſtow vponupon them at our prayers: and if we were thus affected in louelove to the good one of another, then ſhould we pray a great deale more often, and more effectually than we doe. For this is that which the Apoſtle teacheth vntounto the Romanes: Be of like affection one to another, ſaith he: and how, reioyce with them that reioyce, and weepe with them that weepe, where he would hauehave vsus ſo affected with the eſtate of our brethrē, that if God bleſſeth them, we ſhould reioyce with them; if he afflict and puniſh them any way, we ſhould ſorrow with them: and ſo we ſhould count their ſorrow and ioy our owne, and therefore when they are in any deſtreſſe, we ſhould pray for their deliuerance, that we might reioyce with them and in them. And truly if we come to pray for our brethren with this affection, (as our ſauiour Chriſt hath taught vsus, willing vsus to ſay, GiueGive vsus our daily bread, &c. ſo that we ſhould pray for others as for our ſelues) we might obtaine great things for them. Therefore when we pray for any, let vsus put their eſtate vponupon vsus, & be moued with it, as though it were our owne, and ſo ſpeake to God for them, as for our ſelues, and thinke, that if God ſhall bleſſe them, we ſhall reioyce. And this meaſure of louelove in prayer, the more that we can come vntounto, the more aſſurance may we hauehave, that God will heare vsus for them: nay indeed without it we can hauehave little or none at all, that God will heare vsus for any. As for example, if any in their ſickneſſe doe deſire that we ſhould pray for them here in the Church, and we doe ſo: we muſt deſire their health and recouerie, not onelyonly that the partie himſelfe prayed for might reioyce, and his familie, wife, and children, and the reſt of his friends, but that we all might be glad and comforted by his life and health: and we muſt account his recouerie our ioy, and thinke that if God ſhall heare vsus for him, we our ſelues ſhall be bound to giuegive thankes vntounto God for it. And when the Lord ſhall ſee, that that will be matter of ioy vntounto many, then will he the ſooner beſtow it vponupon vsus. And thus doth the Apoſtle ſpeake of the ſickeneſſe and of the recouerie of Epaphroditus, a miniſter of the Goſpell in the Church of Philippi:Philip. 2.25. I ſuppoſed it neceſsarie to ſend him vntounto you: for he longed after you all, and was full of heauineſſe, becauſe he had heard that he had beene ſicke: and no doubt hee was ſicke, very neere vntounto death: but God had merciemercy on him, and not on him onelyonly, but on mee alſo, least I ſhould hauehave ſorrow vponupon ſorrow. Thus if he had died, Paule and all the reſt of the Church of God ſhould hauehave ſorrowed for the loſſe of ſuch a worthy inſtrument of the glorie of God, therefore they being in great heauineſſe alreadie, God would not by taking him away increaſe their griefe by this new cauſe of ſorrow; but as they all deſired his life for their further comfort, ſo God did rayſe him vp, that they all might reioyce.
Few pray for their brethren with this affection.But for the moſt part men are not thus affected with the eſtate of their brethren, no, not when they pray for them: but for want of louelove, as if their affliction continue ſtill vponupon them, they will not greatly ſorrow for them; ſo if it bee remooued and taken away, they will not greatly reioyce; but it is all one with them, howſoeuer it falleth out with them: and ſo it commeth to paſſe, as it muſt needs, that they pray very coldly, and therefore obtaine very little or nothing for them. And yet our Sauiour Chriſt hath taught vsus (as was ſaid euen now) to pray with this affection and fellow-feeling of the eſtate of others, both in ſoule and bodie, where he hath commaunded vsus to ſay, GiueGive vsus this day our dayly bread, and forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes, and lead vsus not into tentation, &c. So that when we pray for others, we ſhould account their eſtate our owne. But men commonly, through ſelfe-louelove, which raigneth in them, are ſo taken vp wholly into their owne eſtate, that they can neither ſorrow nor reioyce, nor any wayes bee mooued with any thing, but with that which concerneth themſelues. The Apoſtle writing to the Corinthians, giueth a reaſon of this ſympathie that ſhould bee among all the true beleeuers, drawne from a compariſon of the parts of the naturall bodie; among which, they all hauehave the ſame care one for another, and the ſame affection both of ioy and ſorrow,1. Cor. 12.25. when he ſayth thus: God hath tempered the bodie together, and hath giuen more honour to that part which lacked, least there ſhould be any diuiſion in the bodie: but that the members ſhould hauehave the ſame care one for another. Therefore if one member ſuffer, all ſuffer with it. So ought it to be in the myſticall bodie of Chriſt, which we are, and eueryevery one of vsus members of the ſame, as he ſayth there:Verſ. 27. Now yee are the bodie of Christ, and members for your part. Therefore as when any part of the bodie is pained, all the reſt by a naturall inſtinct deſire the eaſe of it, not onelyonly for the benefit of it, but for their owne comfort, which otherwiſe cannot be quiet: ſo ſhould we by the motion of Gods ſpirit, much more pray for the eaſe and releaſe of the affliction of our brethren, that we may reioyce. Here then we hauehave another reaſon to perſuade vsus to pray for thoſe that are and hauehave beene a long time viſited with the peſtilence and the grieuous hand of God,Wee ſhould pray, that the plague might ceaſe from our brethren, that we might reioyce. for which they are in great heauineſſe and feare night and day; entreating the Lord, that when it hath wrought his good worke in the hearts of all, for which it is ſent, to commaund it to ceaſe, and to take it cleane away: not onelyonly, that their ſorrowfull hearts might be cheered vp and comforted after this long ſorrow, and ſo ſome light might ariſe vntounto them after this darkneſſe; but that all we our ſelues, and the reſt of our brethren in all parts of this land, might reioyce in their ſaluation. That ſo we might take into our mouths the words of the Pſalme, which were vttered after a great deliuerance: Others ſaid of them,Pſal. 126.2. The Lord hath done great things for them: but they ſaid, The Lord hath done great things for vsus, whereof we reioyce. So we ſhould not count our ſelues ſtrangers from our brethren, and from their good, and ſpeake of them as it were aloofe off, when we ſhould heare how the plague is ſtayed in ſuch and ſuch a place, The Lord hath done great things for them: but as though it were our owne caſe, ſay, The Lord hath done great things for vsus, whereof we reioyce: and ſo we to reioyce in their ſaluation; we accounting the good that is done to them, as done to our ſelues. And truly, if all men did thus, it were to be hoped, that God would ſoon heare vsus. This affection was in Paule, when he wrote vntounto Philemon, and entreated him for his ſeruant Oneſimus, who had ſtollen ſomething from him, and was come away, and caſt into priſon for it; and Paule had conuerted him, and then deſireth him to pardon him, and to receiue him againe, not onelyonly that his poore ſeruant might bee comforted, who was now greatly troubled for his ſinne, but that Paule himſelfe might reioyce in this great bleſſing beſtowed vponupon him, when he ſayth thus: yea, brother let me obtaine this pleaſure of thee in the Lord, Phile. 20.comfort my bowels in the Lord: where he entreateth him, that in pardoning and receiuing his ſeruant againe, he would beſtow that great benefit vponupon himſelfe, & comfort him in the Lord, for ſo he would account of it: and thus he preuailed for it; and ſo might we with God much more for our brethren. VVhether then we looke to this viſitation of the peſtilence, or to any other calamitie that our neighbors ſhall be in, we in their preſeruation or deliuerance muſt thinke our ſelues greatly comforted in the Lord, and therefore in all things pray for their good, that wee might reioyce: ſo God may heare vsus, if not for their ſakes, yet for our owne. And this is that which we hauehave to obſerue out of the fifth verſe: it followeth in the next.
The interpretation of the ſixt verſe.Verſ. 6. Now know I, that the Lord will helpe his annointed, and will heare him from his ſanctuarie, by the mightie power of his right hand. In this verſe Dauid profeſſeth beforehand, that he did beleeue that God would heare him, and would defend him from his enemies according to his prayers (for hee was the authour and penner of this Pſalme.) And in teaching the people thus to pray for him, he would hauehave them alſo beleeue, that God would heare them concerning theſe requeſts which they made in his behalfe, that ſo they likewiſe might pray in the ſame faith. And this faith of them all, is expreſſed and declared not onelyonly when they ſay, that they did know that God would heare and ſend helpe; but eſpecially and moſt ſignificantly in changing the number. For whereas in the former verſe they ſpake as a multitude, euen the whole Church together, ſaying, That wee may reioyce in thy ſaluation, and ſet vp our banners in the name of our God; where three times they ſpeake in the perſon of many: Here, as though there were but one that prayed, they ſay, I know: and this they doe according to the nature of true faith, which is, to applie Gods promiſes and his merciful deliuerances particularly to eueryevery man and woman, and ſo ſay, as it is in our Creed, I beleeue in God, and not we beleeue; that is, I am perſuaded that hee is the God not onelyonly of others, but of me. And ſo here, though many did vſe this praier together, yet eueryevery one was to hauehave this faith in themſelues, that they did know that God would heare them. And what doe they or ſhould they beleeue? That God will helpe his annointed, that is, their king Dauid; ſo called, becauſe he was by the commaundement of God annointed by Samuel the Prophet vntounto that office:1. Sam. 16.13. and that he would heare his prayers, and graunt his requeſts from his ſanctuarie, that is, from heauen. And thus they beleeue that God would doe, by, or with his right hand; that is, by his great power that he hath in himſelfe, whereby hee is able to doe all things; and by the mightie helpe thereof, that is, that great helpe, which he ſhall and will giuegive, which none is able to reſiſt. And thus for the further ſtrengthening of their faith, they ſet before their eyes the great power of God, whereby hee is able to defend all thoſe that put their truſt in him, in all dangers whatſoeuer: as alſo in the verſe following they doe by compariſon of the confidence of their enemies more fully expreſſe it, ſaying: Some trust in chariots, and ſome in horſes, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God: that is, whereas others did truſt in outward meanes, as chariots, and ſuch like, they did truſt onelyonly in the power and grace of Almightie God.
This teacheth vsus to come ſo prepared vntounto prayer, that wee beleeue beforehand, that God will heare our prayers,We muſt pray in faith, beleeuing that God will heare vsus. and that we ſhall not pray in vaine, but he will giuegive vsus the thing that we aske. And this faith is ſo requiſit and neceſſarie, that without it neither are our prayers acceptable vntounto God, neither can wee looke to receiue any thing at his hand.Heb. 11.6. For without faith it is impoſsible to pleaſe God, as in no other duties that we doe, ſo not in prayer. And faith is requiſit in all thoſe that aske any thing of God, euen as all they that came vntounto Chriſt in the dayes of his fleſh, to receiue any thing of him, hee required of thē this firſt, That they ſhould beleeue. For as it is ſaid of them of his owne countrey, when he was among them,Matth. 13.58. Marc. 6.5. He could not doe many great workes there, for their vnbeleefe ſake (he could hauehave done ynough, his diuine power was ſufficient, but they had not faith to receiue them;) and as himſelfe ſaid to his diſciples, That they could not cast the deuill out of the child that was brought vntounto them, Matth. 17.20.becauſe of their vnbeleefe: So there vponupon that occaſion he ſheweth, what great things by faith might be obtained,Without faith we can receiue nothing of God. in theſe words, Verely I ſay vntounto you, if yee hauehave faith, as much as a graine of muſtard ſeed, ye ſhall ſay vntounto this mountaine, Remooue hence to yonder place, and it ſhall remooue. And then he giueth this generall doctrine, That nothing ſhall be impoſsible to them that beleeue. And S. Marke the Euangeliſt reporteth that ſtorie thus; That when the father of the child laying out the pitifull eſtate of it, as how the deuill did oftentimes caſt the child into the water, and into the fire, to deſtroy it, at the laſt burſt out into theſe paſsionat words:Marc. 9.22. But if thou canst doe any thing, helpe vsus, and hauehave compaſsion on vsus. Chriſt made him this anſwere, If thou canst beleeue it, all things are poſsible to him that beleeueth: ſhewing that he was able and willing, if there wanted not faith in him: for faith is as it were an hand, whereby we doe receiue all things from God. Therefore, as without the hand of our bodie, and vnleſſe we hold it out, we can receiue nothing from men, though it be offered vntounto vsus; ſo though God of his infinit goodneſſe bee rcadie to giuegive, we for our part cannot without faith receiue, that is, not ſo plentifully as otherwiſe we might; and by that, we may receiue all things that we need: and therefore that they might obtaine ſomething for him, Dauid teacheth them to pray in faith, when they ſay, I know that God will helpe, &c. But the time will not ſuffer me to finiſh this doctrine at this preſent, wee ſhall heare more of it the next day by the grace of God.