Medicines for the Plague, Collection of sermons · Sermon 6
THE SIXT SERMON vponupon the firſt verſe.
The name of the God of Iacob defend thee.
All defence of all men commeth from God only.DEfend thee. We ſee from whence all defence and that of all men, euen of Kings, and of the greateſt muſt come, namely from God: and ſo they profeſſe alſo in the next verſe▪ when they pray, Send thee helpe from the Sanctuary: that is, from heauen: and ſo they teſtifie their faith in the ſixt verſe, and ſay, that they knew that God would helpe his annoynted: and further they declare their faith in the words following, when they oppoſe their confidence, that they had in Gods defence, to the vaine confidence that their enemies had in other things, ſaying, Some truſt in chariots, and ſome in horſes, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. Wee muſt then bee perſwaded that no man can ſufficiently defend himſelfe in any danger, by any wit, policie, or ſtrength in himſelfe; neither can any others doe it for him: no not Kings and Princes be they neuer ſo mightie. And therefore the wiſe man muſt not truſt in his wiſedome, nor the ſtrong man in his ſtrength,Jerem 9 23. nor the rich man in his riches. And as we muſt alwaies thus beleeue, ſo moſt of all when we pray; that ſo we renouncing all worldly helpe, might look vp only vntounto God, and pray to him, from whom only we beleeue that all our helpe muſt come: as it is ſaid in the Pſalme;Pſal. 121.2. My helpe commeth from the Lord, who hath made the heauen & the earth. God hath appointed means for our defence in all things,Both in the commonwealth. Pſal. 144.2. as munition againſt forraine enemies: yet he ſaith, that it was he that ſubdued the people vnderunder him: and it is hee, and not the watchmen, that keepe the citie, as he acknowledgeth in another Pſalme: Except the Lord keepe the citie, the keeper watcheth in vaine. Pſal. 127.1.Therefore wee for our part muſt aſcribe this defence that we hauehave had from forraine inuaſion, not to the ſeas which doe compaſſe vsus in; or to our ſtrength of men and munition at home, but to God; and ſo giuegive thankes to him for it, and pray to him ſtill, that hee would defend vsus and his Church in this land. For the Iſraelites though they had preuailed againſt their enemies before, yet when they ſinned, and broke the commaundement of God,Ioſh. 7.5. in the excommunicate goods, they were ſmitten and fled before them; ſo if the Lord ſhould for our ſinnes forſake vsus, and be our defender no more, wee ſee what ſhould become of vsus.
We hauehave other meanes alſo to defend vsus in our houſes from theeues and robbers, as gates and doores,And in our houſes. locks and barres: yet they doe not keep vsus night and day, but God: for they may be broken open, as ſometimes they are, or by negligence may bee left open, or there may bee ſome falſe-hearted within the doores: therefore we muſt commend the care of al vntounto God; who ſaith, Except the Lord build the houſe, they labour in vaine that build it. And,Pſal. 127.1. It is in vaine for a man to riſe early, and to lie downe late, and to eate the bread of ſorrow; but he will giuegive reſt to his beloued. Therefore wee muſt ſay, and doe, as Dauid did,And 16.5.8. Thou wilt maintaine my lot. And againe, I hauehave ſet the Lord alwaies before me, for he is at my right hand, therefore I ſhall not ſlide; Wherefore my heart is glad, and my tongue reioyceth; my fleſh alſo doth reſt in hope. Where wee ſee how he commended the care of himſelfe and of all that he had vntounto the Lords protection; whereupon it came to paſſe, that he not only was defended, but had a quiet minde and bodie; as he ſaith alſo in another place: I will lay me down, And 4.8.and alſo ſleepe in peace, for thou Lord onelyonly makeſt me dwell in ſafetie. And ſo wee muſt aſcribe all our defence for the time paſt to him,The defence of our King is only of God. and truſt only to him for the time to come. And now for the preſent ſtate of our time, we muſt beleeue that all the defence of our King from all daungers is and muſt come onelyonly from God: for though he be wiſe himſelfe, and hath a wiſe honourable Councel, and there are many that watch and care for him beſides: yet if God did not defend him, the diuel by his ſubtiltie might make his enemie, wiſer than all of them. Therefore as Dauid ſaith of himſelfe,Pſal. 140.7. It was God that did couer his head in the day of battell, that is, though hee had an helmet, and ſuch like defence, yet if God had not couered his head, all that had been nothing; ſo we muſt ſay, it is God that hath couered not onelyonly his head, but his whole bodie from the ſtrokes of his enemies: yea wee muſt ſay, as Paul ſaith of himſelfe,2 Cor. 1.10. God hath deliuered him from ſo great a death, and doth deliuer him daily; in whom wee truſt that yet hereafter he will deliuer him. Therefore when wee heare of any daunger towards his perſon, or towards the State, we muſt not make ſmall account of it, and ſay, Tuſh, I but there are theſe and theſe meanes to defend vsus, the King and his Counſell are wiſe enough to preuent all; but wee muſt ſay, That good God and merciful father who of his infinit merciemercy hath defended him and vsus hitherto, will do ſo ſtill: and pray to him thereafter, that it may bee ſo, as this people doth here, The name of the God of Iacob defend thee.
So is it in all ſickneſſe, and namely in this great mortalitie of our time,He onelyonly can defend vsus from the peſtilence. 1. Cor. 11.30. wherein many are ſicke, and many are weake, and many fall aſleepe; none can defend vsus in it but onelyonly God, and he is able to doe it. In the Law God hath threatned great and incurable diſeaſes to the diſobedient: for it is ſaid, The Lord will ſmite thee in the knees, and in the thighes, Deut. 28.35.with a ſore botch. that thou canſt not bee h…led: euen …rom the ſole of thy foote vntounto the top of thine head. And a little after in the ſame place: The Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull, Verſ. 59.and the plagues of thy ſeed, euen great plagues, and of long continuance, and ſore diſeaſes, and of long durance: I will bring vponupon thee all the diſeaſes of Egypt, whereof thou waſt afraide, and they ſhall cleaue vntounto thee: and eueryevery ſicknes and eueryevery plague, which is not written in the booke of this law, will the Lord heape vponupon thee, vntill thou be deſtroyed. And from them that walke in his waies, he hath promiſed to keepe theſe diſeaſes farre away. If thou wilt diligently hearken, O Iſrael, vntounto the voyce of the Lord thy God, Exod. 15.26.and wilt doe that which is right in his ſight, and wilt giuegive eare vntounto his commaundements, and keepe all his ordinances, then will I put none of theſe diſeaſes vponupon thee, which I brought vponupon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Theſe threatnings and promiſes he only is able to verifie, and doth; who hath ſaid to that end, He will deliuer thee from the ſnare of the hunter, and from the noyſome peſtilence: Pſal. 91.3.he will couer thee vnderunder his wings, and thou ſhalt be ſure vnderunder his fethers: his truth ſhall be thy ſhield and buckler: thou ſhalt not be afraide of the feare of the night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day: nor of the peſtilence that walketh in darkneſſe, nor of the plague that deſtroyeth at noone day: a thouſand ſhall fall at thy ſide, and tenne thouſand at thy right hand, but it ſhall not come neere thee. There ſhall none euill come vntounto thee, neither ſhall any plague come neere thy tabernacle: for he ſhall giuegive his Angels charge ouer thee, to keepe thee in all thy waies; they ſhall beare thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foote againſt a ſtone. Thus it is the Lord only that keepeth vsus from plagues and diſeaſes by the inuiſible miniſterie of his holie Angels, which he vſeth for the defence of his ſeruants, and the puniſhment of the wicked. For as when the Lord did ſend his Angell into the hoſte of proud blaſphemous Sanecherib, he ſmote in one night an hundreth foureſcore and fiue thouſand: 2. King. 19.35.ſo that when they roſe early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpſes: And as in the time of Dauid, 2. Sam. 24.15.the Lord by an Angel did deſtroy with the peſtilence ſeuentie thouſand men in three daies: So in the middeſt of all peſtilent diſeaſes, if the Lord bid his Angell ceaſe puniſhing, as hee did then when hee ſtretched out his hand vponupon Ieruſalem to deſtroy it; hee ſaid,Verſ. 16. It is ſufficient, hold now thine hand: or if he will them to keepe vsus in the middeſt of it, it ſhall bee ſo: and then ſhall that be verified vponupon vsus,Pſalm. 91.13. which is written, Thou ſhalt walke vponupon the lion and aspe, the yong lion and the dragon ſhalt thou tread vnderunder feete: that is, his Angels ſhall preſerue vsus in the middeſt of great dangers harmeleſſe. He onelyonly defendeth in theſe caſes▪ therefore let vsus truſt in him, and in him alone.
As he did recouer Hezekiah frō deathHe healed King Hezekiah when he was ſicke of a moſt deadly diſeaſe, euen when he lay ſicke of a peſtilent feuer, and had a Carbunckle or Plague ſore broken out in his body, and before that, had receiued the ſentence of death in himſelfe.Iſai. 38.1. For the Prophet had ſaid vntounto him: Thus ſaith the Lord, put thine houſe in order, for thou ſhalt dye, and not liue, that is, this ſickneſſe of thine is deadly in it owne nature. Then he turned his face vntounto the wal, and prayed vntounto the Lord; and then the Prophet was ſent again vntounto him with this meſſage;2. King. 20.7. Thus ſaith the Lord God of Dauid thy father, I hauehave heard thy prayer, and ſeene thy teares, beholde I will adde vntounto thy dayes fifteene yeeres: and then hee had them take a lumpe of drie figs: and they tooke it, and laid it on the boyle, and he recouered. Thus though there were meanes vſed, yet God did cure him, who had promiſed life and health vntounto him before.2. Chron. 16.12 King Aſa was diſeaſed in his feete, and his diſeaſe grew to ſome extremitie, yet he ſought not to the Lord in his diſeaſe,Aſa died of his diſeaſe, though he had all help of phiſick. but to the Phiſitions, and he died of that diſeaſe: ſo though he had all meanes of phiſicke in his ſickneſſe, yet he dyed of it, becauſe the Lord did not heale him. And this is the only cauſe that ſome fall into ſickneſſe, and ſome do not; and of them ſome recouer, and ſome doe not; euen that the Lord defendeth the one, and not the other. So that as when God ſent his deſtroying Angell, and at his commandement it went through the whole land of Egypt, and all the firſt borne, from the firſt borne of Pharaoh, that ſate on his throne,Exod. 12.29. to the firſt borne of the captiue that was in priſon, and all the firſt borne of beaſts, ſo that there was no houſe, where there was not one dead: yet the houſes of the Iſraelites were marked with the blood of the Lambe, and ſo none dyed there; and that was, becauſe that was a token, that when the Angell ſhould ſee the blood, he might paſſe ouer them, and ſo the Lord did not ſuffer the deſtroyer to enter into their houſes, nor the plague to come vponupon them to deſtruction: for if God had not kept him out according to his promiſe, they might hauehave dyed alſo.
So then concerning all them that we wiſh well vntounto (as wee ſhould doe to all our brethren) and for our ſelues,Whether we hauehave meanes, or hauehave them not, all defence from the peſtilence is only from God. wee ſee who muſt be ours and their onelyonly defence: and who hath defended vsus, and them hitherto: euen the Lord, from whom all things doe come both good and euill: therefore to him be thankfull, in him truſt, and to him ſtill pray. For what is the cauſe that this peſtilence is ſo greatly in one part of the land, and not in another? and in the ſame citie and towne, why is it in one part, or in one houſe, and not in another? and in the ſame houſe, why is it vponupon one, and not vponupon all the reſt, when they all liue together, and draw in the ſame breath, and eate and drinke together, and lodge in the ſame chamber, yea ſometimes in the ſame bed? what is the cauſe of this, but that it pleaſeth the Lord in wiſdom, for ſome cauſe to defend ſome for a time, and not the reſt? Therfore let vsus beleeue, that in theſe dangerous times God muſt bee our onelyonly defence, and the defence of all others. There are ordinary means, I grant, to bring the plague into a place, and meanes to keep it out by the bleſſing of God: but who giueth thoſe meanes, but God? and who bleſſeth them, and maketh them effectuall, but he? or who worketh without them, or aboue them, but onelyonly he? Therefore let vsus beleeue this, that all defence both in this ſickneſſe, and all other dangers for our ſelues, and for others, is only from God; and ſo in that faith let vsus pray as theſe doe here, not only for our ſelues, but for others that are in danger of the plague, The name of the God of Iacob defend you.
Therefore when in any ſicknes or otherwiſe we hauehave neuer ſo good meanes, let vsus not truſt to them,1. Sam. 2.6. but to the Lord, who onelyonly killeth and reuiueth, bringeth downe to hell, and raiſeth vp againe. King Aſa (as wee hauehave heard) truſted to the Phiſitions,Therefore we muſt not truſt to the means: for God can fruſtrate thē. and ſought vntounto thē in his ſicknes, and ſo though he being a King had many about him, & the moſt skilfull that could bee gotten, and all helpes that Art could affoord, yet he died. Wee ought then to vſe all good means in this time of the peſtilence; but not truſt to thē, but in the liuing God; for without him all Phiſitions & al Phiſick ſhall doe vsus no good. For God can for a time infatuate the wiſeſt Phyſitions, that they ſhall not diſcerne of the nature of the diſeaſes; and to bee able to doe it alwaies is the ſpeciall gift of God: and when they hauehave found it out, yet at that time they ſhall not wiſely and according to art preſcribe, but commit ſome great error; if they do al this well, it may come too late, when we are paſt helpe: if it come in time, we may diſlike it, and our heart goe againſt it: if wee be deſirous to take it, the things cannot be had, or not had in time conuenient: and when all is readie, wee ſhall be ſo weake, that we are not able to take them, if we do doe, they brooke not with vsus, and we cannot beare them: if we doe, yet they hauehave loſt their force, and are not well compounded; and if they be, yet they ſhall not worke at all, or to any purpoſe; if they doe, yet not as they ſhould; and ſo they ſhall doe vsus no good, though wiſely preſcribed, and carefully taken. Therefore as in the great famine that was in Samaria, when a woman cried vntounto him, ſaying, Helpe, my Lord, 2. King. 6.27.O King: he anſwered, Seeing the Lord doth not ſuccour thee, how ſhould I helpe thee with the barne, or with the wine-preſſe? He ſaid, that hee could not helpe her in this famine, vnleſſe the Lord did helpe by ſending and bleſſing the meanes, as afterwards he did. So when wee ſeeke vntounto the Phyſitions, and crie to them for helpe, they may anſwere, or we for them, that they cannot help vsus, vnleſſe God help.
God can help vsus, and heale vsus, when all meanes doe faile vsus. Deut. 9.9. 1. King. 19.8.But on the contrarie, when all meanes faile vsus, God can defend vsus, if it pleaſe him, from all danger: for he made all of nothing, therefore he can doe any thing without them. He that preſerued Moſes and Helias fortie daies without meate and drinke, can preſerue vsus, when all meanes faile vsus. Ieſus Chriſt, who in the daies of his fleſh healed all diſeaſes with his word, and did but ſay to the dumme and deafe, Be open, and they could preſently heare, and ſpeake;Mar. 7.34. and that ſaid to the leapers (whoſe diſeaſe was deadly and infectiue, as the plague is) I will, be thou cleane, and they were immediatly healed, euen ſomtimes many together;Matth. 8.3. Luk. 17.14. is able by the ſame word of his now (when all power is giuen vntounto him in heauen and in earth) to heale vsus by his word of moſt incurable diſeaſes, when wee can get nothing to helpe vsus.Matth. 28.18. And he that ſaid to the Centurion, Goe thy way, Matth. 8.13.thy ſeruant liueth, and it was ſo: yea he that ſaid not one word, and yet healed the woman of her bloudie iſſue,Mar. 5.29. whereof ſhe had been ſick twelue yeeres, and had ſpent al that ſhe had vponupon the Phyſitions, and found no helpe: and he that ſaid to the man that lay ſick of the palſie eight and thirtie yeere, Ariſe, take vp thy bed and walke, Ioh. 5.5.and preſently he was able to doe it: and he that ſpake to Lazarus, when hee had been dead foure daies, and was laid in his graue, ſo that in the opinion of diuers, his carkaſſe was rotten, and began to ſtinke, and ſaid vntounto him with a lowd and effectuall voyce, Lazarus come foorth, and he did ſo in the ſight of all the beholders:Joh. 11.43. is able alſo much more to ſend his word, and heale vsus alſo, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh; that is,Pſal. 107.20. heale vsus without all meanes. Or when wee are brought ſo low, that we lie vponupon our beds (as Elihu ſpeaketh in the booke of Iob) and the griefe of our bones is ſore;Job. 33.19. ſo that our life cauſeth vsus to abhorre bread, and our ſoule daintie meate: ſo that our fleſh faileth that it cannot bee ſeene, and the bones which were not ſeene doe clatter; ſo that our ſoules drawe to the graue, and our life to the buriers:Though our eſtate be neuer ſo deſperate. if then there come a meſſenger of God vntounto vsus, an interpreter of his holy word, who in that caſe is to be eſteemed, as one of a thouſand, and declare vntounto vsus that righteouſnes of God, whereby we may be ſaued, and pray vntounto God for vsus; then will he hauehave merciemercy vponupon vsus, and will ſay, Deliuer him, that hee goe not downe into the pit, for I hauehave receiued a reconciliation: And if he doe but thus ſay, then ſhall our fleſh bee as freſh as a childes, and ſhall returne as in the daies of our youth: and he will deliuer vsus from going into the pit, and our liues ſhal ſee the light. And thus is he able to doe twice or thrice with a man,Verſ. 29. as he ſpeaketh in the ſame place, & as all experience ſheweth to be true: So that when wee hauehave receiued the ſentence of death in our ſelues, as the Apoſtle Paul had;2 Cor. 1.9. that we might not truſt in our ſelues, but in God, who raiſeth the dead: he is able to deliuer vsus from ſo great a death,2. Tim. 4.17. and to take vsus (as it were) out of the lions mouth, as he did him. Seeing then that God alone bringeth al euill vponupon me, and he onelyonly keepeth it away, commanding the deſtroyer not ſo much as to enter into our houſes, and if he doe, giuing his Angels a charge ouer vsus, to keepe vsus in all his waies: though we walk vponupon the lion and aſpe, yea and tread vnderunder our feete the yong lion and the dragon, that is, though we be in the extreameſt danger; let vsus beleeue, that he only can defend vsus, as they doe profeſſe here, when they ſay, The name of the God of Iacob defend thee.
And truly there is great comfort in this, that we beleeue, that in the greateſt trouble, that may befall vsus, God is able to defend vsus,Faith in Gods defence giueth great comfort in trouble. and without him nothing can doe it. For whereas others that hauehave not this faith, are very vnquiet vntill they hauehave the meanes of their deliuerance according to their own deſire; and then alſo vſe them with great perplexitie, and great doubtings and feares: This will make vsus quiet, whether we hauehave the meanes, or wee hauehave them not: for if we hauehave them, we vſe thē with cheerefulnes, but truſt not to them; if we hauehave them not, we are ſtill comfortable, knowing, that Gods power is not tied to them, and ſo he is able to helpe vsus without them. And ſo if any thing fall out beyond our expectation, wee burſt not out into impatient outcries, and ſay, Oh I wanted ſuch a thing to hauehave done me good; if I had had this or that, it might hauehave done mee great good; what ill hap was it, that I ſhould now want it in my greateſt need? Or, oh that I had had it a little ſooner, now it came too late, when it could doe me no good: or, oh that I had had ſo good lucke, as to hauehave vſed it after a better manner; and a thouſand things els which the diuell and our own vnbeleef will put into out minds. But let vsus by faith know aſſuredly, that it is Gods will that it ſhould bee ſo at this time with vsus, as it is: if it had pleaſed him, hee could ſtill hauehave defended mee, as in times paſt: but now I ſee it is his bleſſed will to trie me, I will take it patiently, and put my truſt in him: and ſay with Iob; Job. 2.10.Shall we receiue good at the hand of God, and not receiue euil? He that is faithfull, hath promiſed, that he will lay no more vponupon me than I ſhall be able to beare; and that though this depart not away from me, yet his grace ſhall be ſufficient for me:2. Cor. 12.8.9. and his power ſhall be made perfect in my weakenes: for his holy ſpirit ſhall helpe me in al mine infirmities; yea he hath promiſed, that all things ſhall fall out for the beſt to me,Rom. 8.28. ſo long as I feare him; though not in the beginning, yet in the end: and ſo I will ſay againe with Iob, that if he kill me, Iob. 13.15.yet I will put my truſt in him: for nothing ſhall be able to ſeparate me from the louelove of God in Chriſt Ieſus my Lord and Sauiour; neither angels, nor principalities, nor powers,Rom. 8.38. nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, nor life nor death:Rom. 14.9. For Chriſt therefore died and roſe againe, that hee might be Lord of the quick and dead; ſo that whether I liue or die, I am not mine owne, but his, who gaue himſelfe for me to that end. And therefore I beleeue, that I being Chriſts,1. Cor. 3.22. all things are mine to bring me to him; not only Paul and Apollos, and Cephas & the reſt of his miniſters, but the world: euen life & death (as the Apoſtle moſt confidently and comfortably ſpeaketh) yea things preſent and things to come all are mine, and I am Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods. And therefore if I die, I beleeue, that bleſſed are the dead that die in the Lord: Apoc. 14.13.and therefore if it be his good will to take me away, I am not only readie to ſay with old Simeon; Luc. 2.29.Lord now letteſt thou thy ſeruant depart in peace; and with our Sauiour Chriſt, Father into thy hands I commend my ſpirit: but alſo with S. Paul, Luc. 23.46. Philip. 1.23. & 21.I deſire to be diſſolued and to be with Chriſt, for that is beſt of al for me: for hee is vntounto me euen in death aduantage. And thus wee ſee what comfort wee may hauehave in this vncomfortable time of the peſtilence, if wee rightly beleeue that God is our defender: as they profeſſe here of themſelues and of their King, in ſaying, The name of the God of Iacob defend thee.
The name of God.Now for theſe words, whereas they ſay, The name of the God of Iacob; therby they meane God himſelf: but they thus ſpeak of God, becauſe al the knowledge yt we hauehave of God, ariſeth of the knowledge of his name: and as to that end he hath giuen himſelfe in the Scriptures ſundrie names, that thereby we might know not only what he is in himſelfe, ſo far as it is meet for vsus to know; but eſpecially what he is to vsus: ſo by them, & by them principally we know him to be, as he is, not onelyonly in himſelfe, but vntounto vsus. As when hee calleth himſelfe a ſpirit, we are not bodily to conceiue of him, as the Papiſts doe:By it we know what God is vntounto vsus. Jſai. 26.4. and when he ſaith of himſelfe, I am that I am, and calleth his owne name Iah and Iehoua: that is, hee that ſo is of himſelfe alone, that all other things hauehave their being of him and for him: and as the Apoſtle expoundeth it in the Epiſtle to the Romanes,Rom. 11.36. Of him, and through him, and for him are all things; to him be glorie for euer, Amen. And when he is called God almightie, Gen. 17.1. Nehem. 9.6. 2. Cor. 1.3.and all ſufficient, Creator of heauen and earth, the preſeruer of all things; moſt mercifull, the God of all comfort, and father of all conſolation: euen our father, and our God: who hath made a ſure couenant with vsus in Chriſt,Ierem. 33.20. more ſure than that of the day and of the night, which cannot bee broken: as to that end hee calleth himſelfe the God of Abraham, and of Iſaack, and of their ſeede, and here the God of Iacob, &c. So wee by all theſe, and the reſt of his names and titles giuen vntounto him, know certainly what he is, and will be vntounto vsus, and what we are to look for from him. And from this knowledge of the name of God ariſeth confidence in prayer: as when they know him,From hence ariſeth confidence in prayer. and here call him the God of Iacob; that is, hee that hath made a couenant of merciemercy with him, and with his poſteritie, that he will be their God, and they ſhall be his people; they may be bold to flee to him for ſuccour, and confidently call vponupon him in the day of their trouble to heare them, and to helpe them, as they doe. And the more that they know of his name, that is, of his goodneſſe, merciemercy, truth, power, wiſedome, iuſtice, &c: ſo may they the more boldly pray vntounto him: not doubting, but that hee will be anſwerable to his name. For if a mortall man ſtand ſo vponupon the credit of his name, that he will do many things, to thoſe that ſeeke him, to preſerue it: then God will much more ſhew himſelf to vsus to be ſuch, as he hath manifeſted himſelf vntounto vsus by his name. And thus our Sauiour Chriſt to incourage vsus to call vponupon God, hath in that forme of prayer, that he hath taught vsus to vſe, ſet before it the name of God, and willeth vsus to begin thus: O our Father which art in heauen: that we beleeuing him to be a father in affection to vsus; and almightie, that is, to hauehave all power in his hand to help, ruling not only in earth, but in heauen: we might be bold to pray vntounto him, and to aske, not doubting but that of his fatherly goodnes, & infinit power he will heare vsus, & help vsus.
For as among men, according to the good name that they hauehave for liberalitie, and pitie,As men that hauehave a good name are moſt ſought vntounto. ſo will men bee readie to come vntounto them in their neede: and the poore will ſay, I will goe to ſuch an houſe, for they hauehave a good name, and are counted good to the poore, and mercifull, al men ſpeak well of them for their liberalitie: and this name of theirs giueth thē incouragement to come boldly & often: So when wee know God thus by his name, it will make vsus bold to come vntounto him in prayer. But if a man hauehave an ill name in the countrie, and be accounted hard-hearted, couetous, a miſerable wretch, and one that will part from nothing, vnmercifull like the rich glutton in the Goſpell,Luc. 16.19. 1 Sam. 25.20. and euen a very churle, as Nabal was; then few or none will come vntounto him, for his very name driueth them away: they know by the report, that goeth of him, what he is,The ignorāce of Gods name hindreth men from prayer. and what they may looke for from him before they come. Or if a man be neuer ſo mercifull, and others know it not, and ſo they are ignorant of his good name, that hee hath, and that hee is worthie of, they cannot with any good hope come vntounto him, for they know not what he is, they hauehave heard nothing of him at all. So when by vnbeleefe we hardly conceiue of God & of his goodnes, or for wāt of knowledge are ignorant of his good name, euen of al his merciemercy, & of his truth, pitie,Deut. 28.58. and compaſſion that is in him, and ſo know not his great and glorious name: we can hauehave little or no hart at al to come vntounto him in trouble, and ſeek vntounto him for help by prayer, as theſe did here. And this maketh ſome ſo forward vntounto prayer, they are ſo well acquainted with the name of God, that they doubt not of ſpeeding, and others again are ſo backward vntounto it, they are ſo wholy ignorāt of his name. Therefore as if wee had any dealing by the way of petition and ſupplication with a great man, wee would inquire after his name, and what report hee had in the countrie, and according to that wee would proceede or ſtay: So, that wee might come to God in our neede with confidence, (as Dauid and the people doe here) let vsus inquire after his name, that is, let vsus in the Scripture ſee, how he is called mercifull, yea the God of all merciemercy, and the father of all conſolation,Pſal. 65.2. the hearer of prayers, our father, and our God, and all good is ſpoken of him there: that ſo we may come boldly, hoping that wee ſhall finde him as good as his name; and ſo pray,Exod. 32.11.12 Numb. 14.13.14.15.16.17.18.19. as Moſes doth often in the wildernes for the people of Iſrael, that God would heare him, and be mercifull vntounto them, euen for the glorie of his name.
And this is the rather to bee marked, becauſe that the Lord, when hee would make himſelfe beſt knowne vntounto Moſes, Exod. 34.6.and ſo did to that end proclaime his name, as it is ſaid, ſpeaketh thus: The Lord, the Lord, ſtrong, mercifull, and gracious, God is anſwerable to his good name, though men be not ſo alwaies.ſlow to anger, and abundant in goodnes and truth: reſeruing merciemercy for thouſands, forgiuing iniquitie, tranſgreſſion and ſinne, &c. See what a name the Lord giueth to himſelfe, that wee might be incouraged to come vntounto him. And hee not onelyonly hath this name, but he is anſwerable vntounto it, and is ſo indeeded, and wee ſhall finde him to be ſo. Many men hauehave better names than they deſerue, though ſome hauehave worſe: for they are ſaid to be pitifull, and gentle, and courteous; but when we come to deale with them, wee finde it otherwiſe: for men in iudging are oftentimes deceiued, and ſome ſpeake according to their owne opinion. But the God of truth ſpeaketh of himſelfe, as he is: therefore as hee is called mercifull, ſo he is, and hath alwaies bin found to be ſo, and ſhall be to the end of the world. Therfore as among men, to confirme vsus in their good name, wee conſider how they hauehave often bin beneficiall vntounto others, & to our ſelues, & how they hauehave oftentimes holpen others in their need: ſo yt we might know God to be ſo wholy agreeable vntounto his name, conſider how he hath in former times bin good vntounto men that hauehave prayed vntounto him; yea to our owne ſelues. As how hee heard the crie of the Iſraelites in Egypt,Exod. 3.8.9. when they were oppeſſed with his tyrannie, and came downe to deliuer them: and how he heard Moſes for them at the red ſea,Exod. 14.15. and made a paſſage for them thorow it, that they might eſcape their purſuers: and how often he heard him for them in the wildernes both for water, and for fleſh,Exod. 17.4. Numb. 11.11. Gen. 28.10. & 32.9. and for deliuerances from many plagues: how he heard Iacob when he fled from his brother Eſau, and when he met him again, and deliuered him from him: how he heard all the Iewes in the daies of Queene Heſter, and deliuered them from the miſchieuous practiſe of Haman their enemie:Heſt. 8.16.17. yea how he hath heard our ſelues praying to him publikely and priuately, that ſo by experience we might know him to be according to his name: & ſo this name of his might incourage vsus to prayer; for he hath a good name moſt deſeruedly. But becauſe of the time I muſt leaue this ſomewhat vnperfect, I wil proceed in it by the grace of God, the next day, for I ſee that all things cannot be ſpoken at once.