Medicines for the Plague, Collection of sermons · Sermon 18
The eighteenth Sermon vponupon the ſixt verſe.
Now know I, that the Lord will helpe his annointed, &c.
THe laſt day,By faith onelyonly we enioy all Gods promiſes. beſides the generall meaning of the whole verſe, this firſt point of doctrine was deliuered out of it, That by the example of this people wee muſt learne alwayes to pray in faith, if we will receiue any thing at the hands of God: and now for the further confirmation and vſe of the ſame, we muſt conſider, that all the promiſes of God are made vntounto vsus vponupon this condition only, and not otherwiſe, namely, That we beleeue them, and then God will verifie them. As when he promiſed to Abraham, that in his ſeed all nations in the world ſhould be bleſſed; by faith he obtained this promiſe, though his wife was barren, and both of them ſo old that by the courſe of nature they were paſt children: For the Apoſtle ſayth of him,Rom. 4.18. That aboue hope he beleeued vnderunder hope, that he ſhould be the father of many nations, according to that that was spoken to him, So ſhall thy ſeed be: and ſo likewiſe, whereas it was promiſed vntounto Sarah, That ſhee ſhould hauehave a ſonne, Gene. 18.10. Heb. 11.11.ſhee by faith did enioy that aboue the courſe of nature: as it is written of her alſo; That through faith Sara receiued ſtrength to conceiue ſeed, and was deliuered of a child when ſhe was paſt age, becauſe ſhee iudged him faithfull which had promiſed. And thus hauehave all holy men and women enioyed the promiſes, as is ſhewed at large in the eleuenth chapter to the Hebrewes. And therfore Chriſt himſelfe,Matth. 1.21. Chriſt required faith of all that came vntounto him. as he was promiſed to be a ſauiour, and ſo come into the world, according to his name Ieſus, to ſaue his people from their ſins: ſo all they that came to him for health of ſoule or bodie, ſo many did receiue it as did beleeue, and in that meaſure that they beleeued. And therefore it was ſaid to the Centurion, that came and ſued for his ſeruant that lay ſicke of the palſie and was grieuouſly pained, Goe thy way, Matth. 8.5.and as thou beleeueſt, be it vntounto thee: and the ſeruant was healed the ſame houre. Hee had beforehand profeſſed his faith ſufficiently, when he ſaid, That Christ needed not to come, but might ſpeake the word, and doe it: neither was he worthie, that Chriſt ſhould come vnderunder the roofe of his houſe. Thus he asking in faith, receiued not onelyonly for himſelfe, but for another. And ſo in the next chapter following it is ſaid, That two blind men followed Ieſus, Matth. 9.29.crying in the way: O ſonne of Dauid hauehave merciemercy vponupon vsus: when he came into the houſe, hee ſaid vntounto them, Beleeue ye that I am able to doe this? and they ſaid, yea Lord: then touched he their eyes, ſaying, according to your faith be it vntounto you: and their eyes were opened. Thus praying in faith theſe men obtained alſo. And in the ſame chapter he ſaid to the woman that was healed of the bloody iſſue, by touching the hemme of his garment,Verſe. 20. Daughter be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole: for ſhe had ſaid in her ſelfe before, If I may but touch his garment, I ſhall be whole. Thus we ſee that as all that had faith (comming to him) they did receiue: ſo on their part, faith was the only cauſe that they did receiue: and therefore the health of their ſoule and bodie is imputed vntounto their faith, Thy faith hath made thee whole.
Now all theſe things, as the reſt of the Scripture,Rom. 15.4. and whatſoeuer things are written aforetime, are written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might hauehave hope: I meane hope, that if we pray thus in faith, as theſe did, we ſhall obtaine whatſoeuer wee aske according to Gods will,We cā receiue nothing, vnleſſe we aske it in faith. though the matter be neuer ſo great. As we ſee alſo, that this people did here: for in the next Pſalme they giuegive thankes for that, which here in their praiers they aſſure themſelues that they ſhould receiue. And ſo all men ſhall find that to be true in praying vntounto God, which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of, asking wiſedome: That if they lacke any thing, let them aske it of God, who giueth liberally, and reprocheth no man, and it ſhall be giuen him: Jam. 1.5.but then he addeth this caueat, ſaying: But let him aske it in faith, and wauer not: for he that wauereth, is like a waue of the ſea, tost of the wind, and carried about: neither let that man thinke, that he ſhall receiue any thing of the Lord. VVhere he ſheweth what is the right manner of praying, namely, that as we cannot pray at all for any thing, vnleſſe wee hauehave Gods word and promiſe for it; ſo before we doe pray, we muſt beleeue it. Therefore as by prayer wee doe ſhew, that we beleeue and hope for the grace promiſed; ſo he that hath not this faith in Gods promiſes, prayeth hypocritically, that is, more with his tongue, than with his heart. Seeing then, that Gods promiſe is ſure and certaine, he would not hauehave vsus ſo to pray, as that we ſhould doubt and call into queſtion, whether wee ſhould bee heard or no. And this he ſheweth by an excellent and very fit compariſon: for as the waues of the ſea are toſſed and carried away; ſo they that beleeue not, both are vnquiet alwaies in their minds, yea though they hauehave prayed, and are altogether vnworthie to receiue any thing. Therefore when wee come to God in our prayers, let vsus beforehand beleeue, that hee will heare vsus, and ſo pray in faith, and ſay, as this people doth here, I know that God will heare and helpe: ſo ſhall our prayers be acceptable vntounto God, ſo ſhall we receiue that that we aske of him; and ſo ſhall our minds bee pacified and quiet.
Few pray in any aſſurance that God doth heare them:Let vsus then examine our ſelues, and ſee whether alwaies when we hauehave come to prayer, we hauehave had this faith and aſſurance, that God would heare vsus and helpe vsus: and then we ſhall find, that ſome hauehave beene ſo farre from it, that they hauehave neuer once thought of it; but they hauehave come to prayer, neither knowing any ſuch thing, nor regarding it. And thus hauehave they done not only in the dayes of ignorance & ſuperſtition, whē they held it an error for a mā to think, that he might be aſſured of any thing from God, though he prayed for it neuer ſo earneſtly, and when they prayed in an vnknowne tongue, and ſo knew not themſelues what they ſaid, and therefore could not by prayer hauehave any aſſurance that they were heard: but alſo in this cleare light of the goſpell, many hauehave and do ſtill both in their priuat prayers, and in theſe publicke, come ſo coldly to God, and as it were for faſhion, that they neither know, nor deſire to know, nor thinke it poſsible to know, that God will hear them. And ſo theſe wauering minded men being vncertaine in their minds, and toſſed too and fro like the waues of the ſea, may be aſſured, That they ſhall obtaine nothing of God, Iam. 1.7. And ſo obtain nothing of God.as the Apoſtle ſaith. But let vsus endeuour to put that in practiſe which the people did here, that eueryevery one of vsus may ſay, I know that God will heare: ſo ſhall we obtaine ſuch things as we aske.Matth 17.17. For if the diſciples of our Sauiour Chriſt could doe nothing for the fathers child poſſeſſed with a deuill, when there was moſt need, becauſe of their vnbeleefe; then ſhall wee alſo for the ſame vnbeleefe of ours obtaine nothing neither for our ſelues nor for others, when there is moſt need. And as on the other ſide hee ſaid againe vntounto them, That all things were poſsible to him that beleeueth, ſo ſhall we find it to bee true in our ſelues; then when wee pray in faith, it ſhall be poſsible for vsus to obtaine all things according to Gods will, euen thoſe that vntounto the vnbeleeuers ſhall ſeeme impoſsible.
Now though this place of Scripture doth not ſo properly require, to ſhew how wee ſhall come to this faith and aſſurance in prayer, that God will heare it; but rather onelyonly that wee ought to hauehave it, and not to pray without it: yet that I might not leaue this doctrine vnperfect, it is neceſſarie to ſay ſomewhat of it. Firſt therefore, as eueryevery good and perfect gift is of the ſpirit of God, Iam. 1.17.and commeth from aboue, euen from the father of lights, ſo doth this moſt of all.Act. 16.14. And as the Lord by his ſpirit opened the heart of Lydia, that ſhe beleeued that which Paule preached: ſo Chriſt Ieſus is he, vponupon whoſe ſhoulders (as the Prophet ſpeaketh) is laid the key of the houſe of Dauid, that is,Iſai. 22.22. of the whole Church of God, ſo that he onelyonly openeth, and no man can ſhut, and he ſhutteth, and no man can open: that is, he onelyonly by his holy ſpirit openeth our hearts, that we may beleeue, and giueth vsus aſſurance in all things of the fauour of God:How this aſſurance of being heard, is wrought in vsus. therefore we muſt pray to him, that hee would giuegive vsus that aſſurance, and ſo open our hearts, that we may beleeue that he doth heare our prayers. But becauſe this is wrought in vsus by meanes, and our faith is grounded ſpecially and onelyonly vponupon the promiſes of God, and all aſſurance of being heard, ariſeth from thence; we muſt know, and beleeue, and meditate vponupon them, before we pray, that ſo by them we may be aſſured, that he will heare vsus, according to the vndoubted truth of the ſame. And the more that wee can doe thus, the greater aſſurance of being heard ſhall we hauehave, when we pray vntounto God. And beſides this we muſt know, that the ſame aſſurance is confirmed and encreaſed by our former experience dayly: ſo that when we hauehave marked, how God hath at other times and in other things heard vsus, we may aſſure our ſelues from thence, that he will doe ſo now alſo. For as among men, when we hauehave oftentimes made triall of a friend in the time of our need, wee goe to them afterwards, as any neceſsitie ſhall be vponupon vsus, with great confidence, and doubt not before wee come to them, but we ſhall ſpeed, if they hauehave it: ſo vponupon our former experience with the Lord, we ought much more boldly to come vntounto him in times of need, who hath not onelyonly promiſed, and ſo is willing, but being almightie, is alſo able, and being true and iuſt in his promiſes, will helpe vsus. And according to experience of former times, ſome doe read this text that we hauehave in hand (although I approoue of the other rather which I hauehave followed) after this manner: Now know I that the Lord hath ſaued his annointed, and will heare him from his Sanctuarie: and ſo they confirme their hope by the time paſt, in that they hauehave marked the goodneſſe of God towards their king in ſauing him before in other dangers, as he was in many: and ſo doubt not, but that hee will heare them for him now, and ſtill ſaue him. But to returne to that that we ſpake of before, namely, How we ſhal come to this aſſurance of being heard. Firſt of all we are to conſider of the promiſes of God,Firſt by meditating vponupon Gods promiſes. vponupon which our faith muſt be grounded, and which muſt giuegive vsus aſſured knowledge of being heard: we may ſee how to this end the holy Patriarch Iacob did meditate vponupon them, to ſtrengthen his faith, and in his prayer did (as it were) put God in mind of them, and comfort himſelfe in hope of them, when he prayed thus: O God of my father Abraham, Gen. 32 9.and God of my father Izaack: Lord which ſaideſt vntounto me, Returne vntounto thy countrey, and to thy kindred, and I will doe thee good; I pray thee deliuer mee from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eſau: for I feare him, leaſt he will come and ſmite me, and the mother vponupon the children. For thou ſaideſt, I will ſurely doe thee good, and make thy ſeed as the ſand of the ſea, which cannot be numbred for multitude. So that when his brother Eſau came againſt him with foure hundred men, and he remembring his former inueterat mallice, feared that he would deſtroy them all, both young and old, mother and children, he prayeth vntounto God for deliuerance: and that he might doe it with aſſurance of being heard, he looketh to Gods promiſes, who had ſaid, that he would doe him good.
So muſt we doe in like maner, I meane when we come to prayer, we muſt throughly conſider of Gods moſt gracious and mercifull promiſes: which to that end are ſo infinit in number, for the good both of our ſoules and bodies, and for this life and the life to come, and for our ſelues and others, that I need not name any. Our ſauiour Chriſt ſpeaketh thus vntounto vsus in the Goſpell,Matth. 7.7. Aske and it ſhall be giuen vntounto you: ſeeke and you ſhall find, knocke and it ſhall be opened. And againe thus the Lord ſpeaketh in his owne perſon by the Prophet:Pſal. 50.16. Call vponupon me in the day of thy trouble, and I will deliuer thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me: and many ſuch like we hauehave in the word of God. Now theſe promiſes we muſt remember are not made vntounto vsus for our owne ſelues, as for our owne worthineſſe, but for Chriſt Ieſus ſake;Which are made vntounto vsus, and fulfilled in Chriſt. who hath ſayd,Iohn 16.22. That whatſoeuer we aske the father in his name he will graunt it vntounto vsus. For (as the Apoſtle ſaith) All the promiſes of God in Chriſt are Yea, 2. Cor. 1.20.and in him they are Amen, vntounto the glory of God: that is, in him, and for his ſake ſhall moſt certainely be performed. Therefore for the verifying and fulfilling of them vntounto vsus, and for our aſſured hope of them in our prayers, we muſt not ſtay in the conſideration of our ſelues, to ſay, It is true in deed, that God hath promiſed to heare me; what cauſe is there in me that he ſhould doe ſo? for in our ſelues we ſhall find nothing but vnworthineſſe, and all cauſes to the contrary: but we muſt looke only to the merits and worthineſſe of Chriſt Ieſus, for whoſe ſake they were firſt made, and for whoſe ſake they ſhall be all of them fulfilled. And thus we may perceiue, that one cauſe for our doubting and little aſſurance of being heard, is the ignorance or not ſufficient meditating vponupon the truth of Gods promiſes. Therefore when we come to prayer, let vsus thinke of them, that by them we might know that God will heare vsus; for he that is faithfull hath ſo promiſed.
We muſt meditate vponupon thoſe promiſes ſpecially, which doe concerne our preſent eſtate.And as we muſt thus generally meditate vponupon the promiſes of God: ſo becauſe he of his infinit goodneſſe hath made many promiſes vntounto vsus, according to eueryevery need of ours; that we might be aſſured not onelyonly generally that God will heare vsus, but particularly for that very thing that we ſtand in need of, and hauehave prayed for: we muſt ſpecially giuegive our ſelues to the meditation of ſuch promiſes, as doe moſt neerely conceiue that caſe of ours. And thus we hauehave alreadie ſeene how Iaakob did, when he was returning from Laban to his fathers houſe at the commaundement of God, and by the way was in great daunger (as he thought) of Eſau, he prayeth vntounto God, and though the Lord had made many other promiſes vntounto him, yet at this time he ſpecially thinketh of that, that God had ſayd vntounto him concerning that matter:Gen. 32.9. and ſo beginneth his prayer thus, Lord which ſaydeſt vntounto me, returne vntounto thy countrey, and to thy kindred, and I will doe thee good; deliuer me out of the hand of my brother Eſau: and then he returneth vntounto the promiſe of God againe, in theſe wordes: For thou ſaydest, I will doe thee good. And ſo muſt we doe for the obtaining of this aſſurance. As for example, if we pray for the forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes, and the aſſurance of the ſame, let vsus ſeriouſly thinke vponupon ſuch promiſes, as God in his word hath made to that end:Ezek. 18.21. As at what time ſo euer a ſinner repenteth him of his ſinne from the bottome of his heart, I will put out all his wickedneſſe out of my remembrance, ſaith the Lord, by his Prophet: and againe what our ſauiour Chriſt ſaith in the Goſpell,Matth. 11.28. Come vntounto me all yee that are wearie, and laden, and I will eaſe you: where he calleth all without exception. So that if we find the burden of our ſinnes intollerable vntounto vsus (as they are in themſelues) and we are weary of them, as of an heauie burden able to preſſe vsus downe vntounto the bottome of hell, and there to hold vsus for euer; and doe vnfainedly repent vsus of them, and hauehave a full purpoſe to leaue them: then praying to God for the forgiueneſſe of them, we may know aſſuredly that God will heare vsus: for here we hauehave his promiſe for it. And ſo muſt wee doe for any thing elſe that we need and pray for: as for this viſitation of the plague,As this ſtate of ours in this viſitation of the plague. if we would pray for our brethren that are vnderunder it, in ſome good aſſurance, that God in his good time will of his vnſpeakeable mercy and louing kindneſſe remooue it, or mittigate it; let vsus meditate vponupon that, which God hath promiſed to ſuch kind of prayers: as when the Apoſtle S. Iames ſaith, Is any ſicke among you, let him call for the Elders of the Church, Jam. 5.14.and let them pray for him; and the prayer of faith ſhall ſaue the ſicke, and the Lord ſhall raiſe him vp, and if he hauehave committed ſinne, it ſhall be forgiuen him: & thefore he willeth them to acknowledge their ſinnes one to another, that they might be healed, for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much, if it be feruent. VVhere we ſee, what is promiſed to ſome few of the Church, praying for them that are viſited with ſickneſſe, (and that iuſtly alſo for their ſinnes and for their offences) that ſuch prayers ſhall not be in vaine, but moſt auaileable through Gods goodneſſe, for the pardoning of their ſinnes, and for the remoouing of the puniſhment of the ſame; if ſo be that they that pray be righteous and holy men, and pray feruently. Then from hence may we be aſſured in the like caſe, that if an whole Church and Congregation of Gods people, yea many Churches in diuers places, doe pray feruently for them; and they that are ſicke and vnderunder Gods hand will confeſſe their ſinnes vntounto him, and repent them of them, and by this plague of God iudge themſelues for them; that he will put an happie end to it in time, though moſt righteouſly deſerued, and pardon their ſinnes, that hauehave beene the cauſe of it: that ſo wee might ſay before hand, Now I know, that God will heare vsus: as indeed by his grace at this preſent, we doe and may ſee moſt cleerely, that by diminiſhing of it in the chiefe cities and places of this Realme where it is, and that alſo by leſſening of it in ſo great meaſure, He hath heard our prayers, and graunted our requeſts: That ſo hereafter by this bleſſed experience that we hauehave in one thing, we might be moued to come vntounto him in great aſſurance, not doubting but that he will heare vsus then alſo. And thus alwayes from time to time,Hebr. 4.16. as the Apoſtle ſayth, Come boldly into the throne of grace, that we may receiue mercy, and find grace to helpe in time of need: and therefore we muſt take this bleſsing vponupon our brethren, as a fruit of our daily prayer, and marke it well to that end.
Experience of former times increaſeth our aſſurance of being heard in prayer.And this is that that ſhould be ſpoken of alſo, concerning that aſſurance that we ſhould hauehave in prayer, of being heard, That by dayly experience of Gods goodneſſe and mercifull dealing with vsus, we ſhall dayly grow therein: and therefore that we might come vntounto it, it is requiſit that wee ſhould greatly acquaint our ſelues with prayer, and pray often, and marke the ſequell, and what followeth after our prayers. For concerning this one point, it muſt needs be a very good reaſon, when we doe pray, to make vsus know that God will heare vsus; when we know already by experience, that he hath often heard vsus before. For ſeeing the ſame promiſes ſtill remaine, and God is the ſame that made them, to performe them, and there is no change in him▪ for as the Apoſtle (where he ſpeaketh of prayer, and to incourage vsus to aske) ſaith, That he giueth liberally, and reprocheth no man: and after ſaith,Iames 1.5.17. that there is no variableneſse with him, nor ſhadow by turning: that is, though the ſunne by turning from the Eaſt to the VVeſt,Reaſons of the ſame. maketh great alterations, ſo that it is ſometime light, and ſometime darke; and beſides, the ſhadow is now here, and now there, and ſo is not alwayes alike: yet it is not ſo with God, but he is alwayes like himſelfe. Therfore as he hath giuen in former times, ſo will he do ſtill, if we pray to him as we hauehave done: for he is no niggard, but giueth liberally to all that aske, & reprocheth no man with that that he hath giuen: nei- is he any changeling, but conſtant in all his wayes. And beſides Ieſus Christ the mediatour of the promiſes, Hee is the ſame to day, that he was yeſterday, and will be euer: Hebr. 13.8. and 7.24.and he at the right hand of God maketh requeſt for vsus continually, and is not wearie of his office, neither is his louelove diminiſhed one whit towards vsus. Therefore we may wel build our hope for the time to come, vponupon our former experience, as vponupon a ſure rocke that ſhall not bee remooued. And ſo we may pray as Dauid did,Pſal. 119 149. O Lord quicken me according to thy cuſtome: as if he had ſayd, Thou haſt often heretofore quickened and reuiued me by thy word and by thy ſpirit, therefore doe ſo now alſo in this great ſorrow and deadneſſe of mind; for I ſtand in as much need of it as euer I did, and thou art as well able to doe it, as thou haſt beene. Thus from the cuſtome of Gods former dealing, he hopeth that he will doe ſo now. And indeed there is great reaſon of it: for if we hauehave had often recourſe to any man for help in the time of our trouble, & we hauehave ſeene how he hath bin moſt willing to do it from time to time; we will not doubt of him, but that he will doe ſo ſtill, and that we ſhall find him a faithfull friend vntounto vsus, as hetherto he hath bin & the oftner that we hauehave made triall of him, and hauehave found, that he neuer deceiued vsus, the bolder we are to come vntounto him, and do aſſure our ſelues of help from him aboue all other in the world; ſo that if all ſhould faile, we would make account of him. And we ſee that the beggers that goe vp and downe from doore to doore, will be moſt bold of releefe there where they hauehave had often almes: and if they ſhould find it otherwiſe at any time, they would greatly maruaile at it, and thinke that there were ſome ſtrange alteration in them; and they would ſay to them, You had wont to be a good maſter and miſtris vntounto me, and to do ſo and ſo for me, and that made me the bolder to come vntounto you now: thus would they plead for themſelues. So we then much more vponupon former experience of our prayers heard, and of the reliefe that wee hauehave found at Gods hand (ſeeing there is no change in him, nor in his promiſes) muſt learne to know, that if there be no change in vsus, but we be the ſame that we hauehave been, and ſeeke to him and ſerue him as we hauehave done, he will heare vsus, and helpe vsus, as he hath done before.
That we might hauehave this experience, we muſt vſe prayers not ſeldome, but often.To this end it is requiſit, that we pray often; for experience ariſeth not of one action, nor of ſome few, but of many; and the beſt experience is gotten by the obſeruation of many things in a long time: and therefore they that liue long and practiſe much, hauehave the greateſt and beſt experience. So that if we will hauehave experience of Gods goodneſſe in hearing our prayers, that thereby we might know that he will heare vsus ſtill, we muſt pray often, and be well acquainted with this holy ordinance of prayer. For as among men, it is not the comming once or twice to a man, and that a long time one after another, yea though he ſpeedeth, that can giuegive him any great encouragement to preſume of his helpe in the time of great need; but that hee hath beene long acquainted with him, and made often triall of him. So is it with God, it is not the praying now and then to him, that can by experience giuegive vsus any great aſſurance, that he will heare vsus, and helpe vsus in time of our trouble; but that we hauehave vſed it often, and vſed it a long time, and hauehave found, that we hauehave neuer beene ſent away emptie. For the Lord ſometimes heareth the wicked, and now and then giueth them ſomething that they aske; but as they pray ſeldome, ſo oftentimes they aske and receiue not,Iam. 4.3. Iſai 1.15. as the Apoſtle ſaith, yea they crie, and the Lord heareth them not: but as they hauehave ſtopped their ears at the word of God, ſo he ſtoppeth his eares at their prayers: ſo they can hauehave no aſſurance by experience, though God hauehave giuen them ſomething:Mich. 3.4. Zach. 7.13. for a man may once or twice do for his enemie, and for him whom he neuer meaneth to gratifie any more. Another cauſe then, why wee hauehave ſo little knowledge in the time of our need, that God will heare vsus, is, that we hauehave ſo little acquainted our ſelues with prayer, and that we hauehave not done as the Apoſtle willeth vsus, namely,Phil. 4.6. in all things made our requests knowne vntounto God in ſupplication and prayer: that is, we hauehave not ſo often prayed vntounto him, as wee hauehave need, and ſo we hauehave not that experience that we might hauehave had. Seeing then that this is a great bleſsing of God, which is or ſhould be deſired of all, namely, to know when we pray, that God will heare vsus; let vsus come often vntounto him in prayer: and that I may vſe the words of S. Paule, In all places and vponupon all occaſions lift vp pure hands vntounto God, that we may hauehave often talk with God, and be (as it were) well acquainted with him, and ſo by experience know, what account we may make of his helpe.
And that our experience herein might be ſuch as it ought, we muſt not onelyonly pray often, as hath beene ſaid before: but eſpecially we muſt well ſee, and diligently marke how God graunteth our requeſts, and alwayes conſider, what hath followed vponupon our prayers.And then wee muſt marke what followeth vponupon our prayers. And this is that that Dauid ſayth of himſelfe:Pſal. 5.4. Heare my voice in the morning, O Lord, for earely in the morning I will direct my prayer vntounto thee, and I will wait: where he ſaith, That when he had prayed vntounto God, he would tarrie Gods leiſure, and conſider what followed vponupon his prayers. For all good experience ariſeth not ſo much of the often practiſe of a thing, as of the wiſe and diligent obſeruation of the euent of it: inſomuch that ſome ſhall vſe a thing very often, and yet make little or no vſe of it at all to themſelues: as we ſee ſome neuer marke what meat or drinke doth hurt them. But the skilfull phyſition, that hath often preſcribed a medicine againſt ſuch a diſeaſe, and hath marked in his patient, how it hath wrought, and how he hath been cured by it, thereby gathereth a certaine knowledge, that this medicine is good for the cure of ſuch a diſeaſe: for (ſaith he) I hauehave not only often giuen it, but hauehave found, that many hauehave been cured by it: and thus all rules of that art, as of all other, ariſe of experience, that is, of marking what was the effect of ſuch a cauſe. So then, when a man hath not onelyonly often prayed vntounto God, but hath alſo marked, how he hath obtained his requeſts at the hand of God: then, ſpecially from the promiſes of God, and ſecondly from his owne experience of the truth of them, hee gathereth a certaine knowledge, that God will heare him: for he conſidereth how according to that goodneſſe that is in him, and the truth of his promiſes, he hath oftentimes heard him before. Otherwiſe it may come to paſſe, that though the Lord hath often heard vsus,For want of this we hauehave not that aſſurance from experience, that we might. and that in many things, if we either through negligence hauehave not regarded it, or through careleſneſſe hauehave forgotten it, we can hauehave little knowledge in the time of our need, that he will heare vsus. And thus the Lord many times in iuſtice puniſheth the vnthankefulneſſe of men, who marke not his fatherly dealing towards themſelues, for their owne comfort, and the praiſe of his name: that though he hath often holpen them, and all the world hath ſeene it, yet in their greateſt need they are in as much doubt of his goodneſſe, and pray with as great diſtruſt, as though he had neuer done any thing for them before. As on the other ſide he thus in mercy and fauour plentifully rewardeth the thankfulneſſe of thoſe that often pray and call vponupon him in the time of their trouble, and alſo carefully marke, and diligently remember, what hee hath done for them, to prayſe his holy name for the ſame, that by this good experience they know, what, he will doe for them for the time to come.
And thus it falleth out, when we hauehave any dealing with men:Thus is it, when we hauehave any dealing with men. as when in any diſtreſſe we ſhallbe in ſuch caſe, that we know not whom to ſeeke to for helpe; and we complaining of it, one ſhould ſay to vsus, Goe to ſuch a man; and then we ſhould ſay, nay, for I know not what he will doe for me, he neuer did any thing for me yet, and therefore I hauehave no great cauſe to preſume of his helpe. Then the other ſhall ſay to vsus againe, yea, that is not ſo: for I remember my ſelfe how at ſuch a time, in ſuch a need, you had great ſuccour and comfort from him: then we being not able to denie it, ſhould ſay, It is true indeed, as you ſay, but my memorie is ſo ill, that I had cleane forgotten it. Are we not here iuſtly puniſhed for our vnthankefulneſſe, to doubt of a mans good will there, where there was no cauſe? So is it when by forgetting Gods mercifull dealing towards vsus, we doubt of his goodneſſe in the greateſt time of our need, without any iuſt cauſe. But otherwiſe he that well beareth in mind what benefits from time to time hee receiueth of men, to be thankefull vntounto them for the ſame; he can in any diſtreſſe preſently tell what to doe, and ſay, to his owne comfort, as namely, I will goe to ſuch a man, for I remember how often he hath done for me heretofore. So fareth it with all them, that marke what God hath done for them. In this reſpect therefore it is requiſit, that we keepe a regiſter of all Gods benefits,We muſt therfore keepe a regiſter of Gods benefits. Pſal. 103.1. and ſay to our ſelues as Dauid doth, Praiſe the Lord O my ſoule, and forget not all his benefits. Eſpecially we muſt marke diligently, what things he hath done at our prayers: the ſame Dauid alſo ſaith of himſelfe, This poore man cried, Pſal. 34.6.and the Lord heard him, and ſaued him out of all troubles. And as hee in ſome caſes did make ſpeciall Pſalmes, which beare the titile of remembrance, and they were made ſpecially that by them he might keepe a thankefull memorie of Gods benefits:Pſal. 38. ſo ought we to doe ſome thing to helpe our memorie this way, eſpecially when we ſee how forgetfull we are of them: that ſo vponupon long experience we might ſay, I know that God will heare and helpe me. Therefore when we hauehave prayed for any common benefit, or for any deliuerance, as feare of enemies, and ſuch like, when we hauehave prayed in the Church here for any that hauehave beene ſicke, when for others in other caſes priuatly, when for our ſelues at home or any of ours; if we had from time to time marked and remembred in all theſe, how God hath anſwered vsus gratiouſly, we might now, when we meet to pray for the remouing of this viſitation, hauehave had greater hope of being heard than we hauehave, and greater aſſurance of Gods goodneſſe towards vsus. But ſeeing we hauehave beene ſo vnprofitable in times paſt, to our owne hinderance, let vsus make the beſt vſe of the time preſent, that we can. And therefore now ſeeing in this mortalitie of the plague, we ſee ſo great fruit of our prayers at the laſt,And namely how God hath leſſened the plague at our prayers. that as in other places it is greatly diminiſhed, ſo in the chiefeſt citie of this land it is fallen from three thouſand and foure hundreth a weeke, to leſſe than two hundred (for the which Gods name be prayſed) let vsus profit by this experience, to know what hee will doe for vsus at all times when we pray. And thus much out of theſe wordes both for the aſſurance of faith in which we ſhould pray, and for the meanes whereby we may attaine vntounto it.