Consolations for the Afflicted, Book 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Of the meanes to worke in vsus patience in afflictions, and first of prayer.
AND thus hauehave I set downe such reasons and§ Sect. 1. That heathen Philosophy yeeldeth no sound comfort in the time of afflictiō. arguments, as doe sufficiently commend vntounto vsus patience in afflictions, that thereby our hearts may bee inflamed wiih the louelove of so excellent, profitable and necessary a vertue, and to be moued with all desire and indeuour to vse al good meanes to attaine vntounto it; now it followeth according to my order propounded, that I also shew those meanes whereby this singular grace of God, may bee eyther begun where it is not, or confirmed and increased where it is. And lest we should seeke for patience where it is not to be found, and so loose our labour, wee are to know, that it is no naturall faculty, which hath it beginning in our beeing; no inherent quality, fortitude or constancy, which is borne and bredde with vsus; for we are naturally-peeuish and impatient, froward and fretfull, complaining and crying out in the least sense of paine; and murmuring and repining against the diuine prouidence, when we are neuer so little crossed of our wils. And therefore they who would find this flower of patience, must not looke for it in the barren desert of corrupted nature where it neuer groweth. Neyther is it to bee attained vntounto by the helpe of naturall reason and Philosophy, which propoundeth vntounto vsus onelyonly shadowes of comforts, that hauehave a seeming shew a farre off, but vanish away when wee seeke to catch them; and offereth vntounto vsus rotten props for the vpholding of our patience; which being guilded ouer with humane witte, arte and eloquence, doe seeme to be of some strength, so long as our patience being vnburthened, standeth vpright in it owne strength; but when it is tryed and pressed with the least waight of afflictions, then they faile, and (as it were) breake in fitters, bewraying their weakenes and insufficiency; together with the folly of those who inuented them, and of vsus who trusted in them; and like false friends they leaue and forsake vsus, when needing their helpe we resort and flye vntounto them. For as the heathen Philosophers were for the most part ignorant of the cheef causes of al afflictions; not ascribing them vntounto God, and his wise and iust prouidence, but vntounto fate and destiny; chance and fortune; not looking vntounto the chiefe deseruing causes, which are our sinnes, and principally the whole corruption of our nature, the ignorance of God, and the neglect and contempt of his true worship and seruice; but imagining that all hapned by the guidance and direction of blind fortune, which put no difference betweene the good and bad, iust and wicked: so accordingly they applied false remedies, and vsed medicines which were as loathsome as the disease which they sought to cure. As namely that we must beare with patience that which we cannot auoide; whereas that alone is enough to make a man breake out into al impatience, when as he considereth that his miseries which are presently intolerable; are also remedilesse, and not to bee auoided for the time to come. That it becommeth not a wise man to be passionate; and that it is folly to adde to our other miseries, which are already too heauy, the waight of sorrow and vexation of mind, that we beare a burthen which is common to many, and that wee hauehave innumerable companions in our griefes; finally that all mankind are liable and subiect to manifold miseries and afflictions, and therefore wee must not take it ill, if we be not exempted from the common lot. But in the meane time they make no mention of Gods prouidence disposing all our afflictions, and turning them to our good; they doe not shew that they are proportioned to the measure of our strength, so as they shall neuer ouerwhelme vsus; nor that they are the chastisements of a gratious Father, and the fruits of his louelove; nor that they are by him made profitable for the aduancing of our spiritual estate, the inriching of vsus with heauenly graces, and the furthering of our eternall saluation. Finally they put vsus in no hope and assurance that God is present with vsus in all our troubles, and in his good time will deliuer vsus out of all our afflictions; & therefore they are not to be resorted vntounto by those that lye vnderunder the crosse, as being but miserable comforters, who only vtter some magnifique and glorious speeches, which hauehave no sound ground of reason to rest vponupon; and require great matters of their Disciples; but doe not with any waight of argument arme their patience and resolution, nor inable them to performe that which is required of them.
But if we would hauehave sound comfort in all our crosses and§ Sect. 2. That we hauehave by nature no true patience, but that it is Gods free gift. afflictions, we must seeke for it in the word of God, & carefully vse those meanes which are there prescribed for the strengthening and increasing of our patience. And these may be referred to two generall heads, namely prayer, and meditation. The first and cheefe meanes of patience and comfort in all our troubles, is that wee daily hauehave our recourse vntounto God by feruent and effectuall prayer, where …n we are to craue, that by his holy spirit hee will worke in vsus these gifts and graces, whereby we may bernabled to beare afflictions, for howsoeuer we seeme in the time of prosperity so constant, comfortable and couragious, that nothing can dismay vsus▪ yet no sooner is the sun of worldly happines set, but presently all our comfort is cooled, and ioy quenched; and being nipped and pinched with the frost of affliction, we breake out into all impatiency, and passe our time in horror and despaire; for naturally we abhorre afflictions, and all chastisement Heb. 12. 11.is for the present greeuous, as the Apostle speaketh, so that we tremble when we doe but heare of their approaching; shrinke and pull backe the shoulder when wee are called to beare the crosse, and impatiently crye out and complaine when we are but touched. Neither is this feare of afflictions a corruption onelyonly of our natures, but a created quality, which may be without sinne, as we may see in the example of our Saniour Christ, who earnestly desired that he might not drinke of that bitter cup of affliction, and was brought into such an agony that hee sweat water andLuk. 22. 42. 43. 44. blood, so as hee needed to hauehave an Angell sent to comfortMatth. 27 46. him. And when he was put to drink the dregs of this loathsome potion, he was forced to cry out, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. The which abhorring & lothing of the crosse in Christs most holy nature, was iust and lawfull, being ioyned with patience, obedience and conformity to Gods wil; because we are euen by the Law of nature bound to seeke our owne preseruation, and to shunne all causes and occasions which may hinder our happines, but beeing ioyned with our corruption, it becommeth vnlawfull and wicked, making vsus to breake out into all impatiencie, and to murmure and repine against God. So that naturallie we hauehave no patience or comfort in our afflictions, but it is the free gift of God, as the Apostle implyeth whereas hee saith, that it was giuen to the Philippians to suffer for Christ, becausePhil. 1. 29. Gal. 5. 22. no man can suffer as hee ought vnlesse hee receiue it of God. So elsewhere hee maketh this patience a fruit of the spirit; and affirmeth that it is God alone who doth comfort vsus 2. Cor. 1. 4. Rom. 15. 5. 2. Cor 1. 3. Phil. 4 13.in all our tribulation. And heereof it is, that this is made one of his royall titles; The God of patience and consolation; and the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. By whose power assisting vsus, and spirit inabling vsus, wee who can neither doe no… suffer any thing of our selues, can doe all things, as the Apostle speaketh.
In all our afflictions therefore we must hauehave our recourse vntounto God by earnest and effectuall prayer, that wee may§ Sect. 3. Reasons mouing vsus to prey when we are afflicted, first, because God then requireth vsus to performe this duty. from him receiue this comfort and patience which we hauehave not of our selues; and in his good time hauehave helpe and deliuerance out of all our troubles. Which duetie that wee may performe let these reasons perswade vsus; First, because as the Lord doth at all times require, that we should performe vntounto him this duty of his seruice, so more especially in the time of affliction & tribulation. Call vponupon me (saith he) in the day of Psalm. 50. 15. Iam. 5. 13.trouble, so will I deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie me. And againe, is any among you afflicted? let him pray: Is any merry? let him sing Psalmes. So hauing foretold the afflictions of his Church for their iniquities, he willeth them to returne vntounto the Lord their God by true repentance, and to call vponupon him; and not onelyonly requireth that they should pray, but also teacheth them a forme of inuocation. Take vntounto you words Hos. 14. 2. 3.(saith he) and turne to the Lord, and say vntounto him, take away all iniquity, and receiue vsus gratiously; so will we render the calues of our lips. And thus our Sauiour Christ at the approaching of his owne passion, and his Disciples affliction and persecution, which was to follow thereupon, doth inioyne them after a more speciall manner, that they should watch and pray, Matth. 26 41. Luc. 21. 36.that they did not enter into tentation. And hauing foretolde the great miseries and tribulations which should follow his ascension, vponupon the people of the Iewes, and all the Church before his second comming to iudgement, he doth prescribe this as a speciall and most soueraigne antidote and preseruatiue against all these euills, that they should watch and pray continually, that so they might bee thought worthy to escape all these things which should come to passe.
Secondly, wee must in our afflictions flye vntounto God by§ Sect. 4. The second Reason, because it is a maine end why God afflicteth vsus prayer, because it is one especiall ende wherefore the Lord correcteth vsus; for as the louing and kinde mother causeth strangers to affright her tender and dearely loued childe, when he neglecteth her, & taketh delight to stray from her, that so shee may heereby preuent the danger of losing him, and may cause him to returne vntounto her for safeguard, and to cast himselfe into her armes, heereby inflaming his louelove more towards her, and increasing his confidence in her protection: So doth the Lord our gratious Father cause these bugbeares of afflictions to meete and terrifie vsus, when wee are straying from him, that wee may flee into his armes for helpe and succour; and suffereth vsus to be depriued of other helps and comforts, that wee may with fulnesse of affiance rest wholy vponupon him; wheras if either we were not at all afflicted, or had other succours whereunto we might resort in the time of our distresse, we would not seeke vntounto him at all, or at least, after a cold and loose manner. And this end the Lord expresseth, where he saith, vntounto his people Israell, that Ashur should not be able to cure the wound of their afflictions; and that he would be vntounto Ephraim as a Lion, and as a Lions whelpe to the house of Iuda, rending and tearing them with afflictions and miseries, and that he would spoyle, goe away and take them with him, as a pray which none should rescue,Hos. 5. 14. 15. and that he would goe and returne to his place, clouding from their sight the beames of his louelove and fauour, till they acknowledged their fault, and sought him diligently. The which his end he attaineth vntounto in all the faithfull, as appeareth by the words following; In their affliction (saith he) they Chap. 6. 1.will seeke me diligently, saying, come and let vsus returne vntounto the Lord▪ for he hath spoiled, and he will heale vsus; hee hath wounded, and he will bind vsus vp. So the Prophet Esay speaking of theEsa. 26. 16. faithfull in their afflictions, saith, O Lord in trouble hauehave they visited thee, they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vponupon them.
Thirdly, Gods gratious promises of hearing our prayers,§ Sect. 5. The 3. reasō takē from Gods gratious promises of hearing vsus in the time of trouble. Matth. 7. 7. and granting our requests, may be an effectuall argument to mooue vsus to the performance of this dutie, when we most neede his helpe, thus generally hee willeth vsus to aske and it shall be giuen vsus, to seeke and we shall finde, to knocke and it shall be opened vntounto vsus, for whosoeuer asketh, receiueth, and hee that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall bee opened. So our Sauiour hath assured vsus that, whatsoeuer wee shall aske 1. Ioh. 5. 14. 15the father in his name he will giuegive it vsus. And the Apostle Iohn telleth vsus, that we hauehave his assurance in Iesus Christ, that if we aske any thing according to his will, he heareth vsus. And if wee know that he heareth vsus, whatsoeuer we aske, we know that we hauehave the petitions that we hauehave desired of him. Yea so readie is the Lord to harken vntounto the suites of those that pray vntounto him, that when he seeth this disposition in them, he promiseth, that before they call, he will answere; and whilest they speak, Esa. 65. 24.he will heare. But as God hath generally bound himselfe by promise to heare and helpe those that cal vponupon him, so more especially such as flee vntounto him by prayer in the time of their affliction; according to that of the Psalmist; call vponupon me in the day of trouble, so will I deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie Psal. 50. 15. & 91. 15. Psal. 145. 19.me. And againe, speaking of those that louelove God, hee saith, He shall call vponupon me, and I will heare him, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliuer him, and glorifie him. And else where; he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him; he also will heare their cry, and will saue them. And this promise the Lord doth specially fit to his Church and chosen people; namely, that if for their sinnes they were led into captiuitie by their enemies,Deut. 4. 29. 30 31. and if from the land of their captiuitie they would seeke the Lord their God, they should find him, if they did seeke him with all their heart, and with all their soule, &c. And particularly it is applied to Iob by one of his friends; If (saith he) thou wilt early seeke vntounto God, and pray to the Almightie; Iob. 8. 5. 6if thou be pure and vpright, then surely he will awake vp vntounto thee, and he will make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous. And these are the promises which are made vntounto those who call vponupon God in the time of their trouble; which who so applieth vntounto himselfe vponupon the performance of this duty, shall in the day of his affliction finde singular consolation; and out of the death of sorrow and despaire, shall be raised to the life of true ioy and comfort. And this Dauid found in his owne experience, where speaking ofPsal. 119. 50. these gracious promises, he saith, that they are his comfort in trouble, and that he is by them quickned, and as it were, restored to life againe.§ Sect. 6. The fourth reason, because the Lord is our sole Sauiour and deliuerer, and from him alone we hauehave deliuerāce from afflictions, or patience to beare them.
Fourthly, wee must in the time of our affliction hauehave our recourse vntounto the Lord by prayer, because he is our sole Sauiour and deliuerer; for if eueryevery man out of reason and discretion will resort vntounto those, in their troubles and dangers, of whose louelove and power they are most assured; yea if the bruite creatures by instinct of nature will flee thether in their extremities, where their cheefe refuge is; then by the same reason ought we in all our tribulation and calamities to flee vntounto the Lord for helpe and deliuerance, seeing his louelove is matchlesse, and his power infinite. For hee is our cheefe strength, our rock, our fortresse, and deliuerer; he is our Psal. 18. 2. & 46 1.sh…eld, the horne of our saluation and our refuge: as Dauid calleth him, he is our hope and strength, and helpe in troubles ready to be found, as else where he speaketh, and he is approued thus to be by the manifold experience of his Church and chosen people, for in the palaces of mount Sion God is knowne Psal. 48. 3.for a sure refuge. It is he that deliuereth vsus out of al our aduersities and tribulations, as holy Samuel affirmeth; he is good, and 1. Sam. 10. 19.as a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that Nahum. 1. 7.trust in him, as the Prophet Nahum teacheth vsus. Hee is our king that protecteth vsus, our father that taketh care for vsus, our husband and head, who loueth vsus as his spouse and members; and therefore to whom should wee his subiects, children and spouses, resort to flee in the time of our dangers and distresse, but vntounto this our powerfull and glorious king; our carefull father and louing husband? Especially considering that as the Lord is our cheefe hope and helpe, from whom wee may expect deliuerance from afflictions, or patience to beare them; so he hath appointed praier as the onelyonly meanes for the obtaining of these benefits; for as the louing and wise parent hath in himselfe a disposition to bestow all things needfull vponupon his deare child, and sometime to pardon his fault when hee hath offended him, and sometime to content himselfe with the taking of lesse correction on him then it deserueth; yet doth hee expect that his sonne in all dutie and humilitie, should intreate these fauours from him; and will neither bestow his gifts before hee sue vntounto him for them; nor pardon the offence committed, before hee humble himselfe, acknowledge his fault, and craue pardon; nor yet ceaseth willingly from laying on stripes when hee hath begun to chastize him, till hee hauehave promised to amend, and desireth to be spared. Euen so our gracious and louing father is alwaies most ready to bestow his gifts and blessings, to pardon our sinnes, and to cease correcting of vsus, because hee taketh no delight in our smart and paine; but yet vponupon this condition, that wee sue vntounto him for these fauours, and (as it were) by the hand of prayer take these benefits out of the rich treasury of his bounty and goodnesse. And this the Apostle Paul implyeth, for though hee were perswaded that he should be freed outPhilem. 22. of his imprisonment, and set at liberty, for the further seruice of God & benefit of his church, yet he requireth the praiers of Philemon & the rest of the Saints, as the meanes of his inlargement.Act. 12. And thus also Peter was freed from his chaines, & as it were drawne out of the iawes of death; but it was at the instant sute of the faithfull, as the holy Ghost noteth. So though the Lord were purposed to adde fifteene yeeres to the life of Ezechias, and to acquit him from the sentenceEsa. 38. of death pronounced against him, yet hee doth not assure him of it till he had humbled himselfe, and powred out his soule by feruent and effectuall prayer. And therefore if in our wants, miseries and afflictions, wee would hauehave helpe from God, either for deliuerance or patience; let vsus vse this meanes which hee hath sanctified for this purpose; and seeing God doth require it at our hands, let vsus goe boldly vntounto Heb▪ 4. 16.the throne of grace, that we may receiue mercy, and finde grace to helpe in time of need. Seeing hee doth not deny helpe vntounto any that sue vntounto him for it; let vsus flee to him for succour in all our wants and dangers, according to that of the Psalmist;Psal. 6. 5. 2 Because thou hearest the praier, vntounto thee shall all flesh come. And when wee are assaulted by our enemies, and pursued by them that hate vsus, let vsus with Dauid cry out vntountoPsal. 60. 11. & …08. 12. 2. Cor. 20. 12. him: giuegive vsus helpe against trouble, for vaine is the helpe of man. And say with good Iehosaphat, O our God, wilt thou not iudge them? for there is no strength in vsus to stand before this great multitude that commeth against vsus, neither doe we know what to doe, but our eies are towards thee. And as prayer is the meanes of deliuerance out of afflictions, so also of obtaining patience to beare them, so long as it pleaseth the Lord to continue them vponupon vsus: in which respect patience and prayer are by the Apostle fitly ioyned together, Reioycing (saith he) in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing in prayer. Neither inRom. 12. 12. truth can there bee a stronger prop to vphold our patience, then feruencie in prayer; both because it receiueth heereby vertue and encrease from God, and hath the measure thereof doubled by his holy Spirit, according to that of the Apostle,Iam. 1. 5. if any of you lack wisdome (namely that special wisdome which enableth vsus to beare the crosse with comfort and patience) let him aske of God, which giueth to all men liberally, and reproacheth no man, and it shall be giuen vntounto him; and also because it much easeth vsus of our greefe, and lighteneth our hearts of the burthen of our afflictions, when as we can lay open our grieuances before God, and powre out our complaints into his boosome. For if it bee an ease to an afflicted minde, when as a man hath some speciall and deare friend, to whom he may communicate his greefes, & make knowne his troubles and discontents, that at least hee may be pitied and bemoned of him, though he hauehave no power or abilitie to releeue and helpe him: then how much more ease and comfort shall wee finde in laying open the causes of our greefes before God our heauenly father? who as he infinitely§ Sect. 7. The fifth reason, is because in our afflictions it is the most fit and seasonable time for prayer. excelleth all mankind in tender louelove, pity and compassion, so he is able, when as it shall bee most for his glory and our comfort, to free and▪ deliuer vsus out of all our miseries and afflictions.
Fifthly, we must in all our troubles hauehave our recourse vntounto God by prayer, because it is the most opportune, fit and seasonablePsal. 50. 15 time for this holy exercise; and this may appeare, not onelyonly because the Lord, infinite in wisdome, and knowing what actions best sort with all times and occasions, doth more especially inioyne vsus to call vponupon him when wee are in trouble and affliction: but also because we are then most readie and best disposed to the performance of this religious dutie; and that with greater efficacie and feruencie then at other times. For if euer we will poure out our soules before God by prayer, we will doe it in our misery and aduersitie; and though we hauehave neglected it in the time of our peace and flourishing prosperity, yet if we hauehave any spark of grace in vsus, we will resort vntounto God, when with the rod of affliction we ar whipped vntounto him; according to the saying of the Prophet, O Lord, in trouble they hauehave visited thee, they Esa. 26. 16.poured out a praier when thy chastening was vponupon them. And howsoeuer euē Gods dearest seruāts are in the time of their health and worldly welfare, loose and slack, cold and negligent in their suits and supplications, rouing in their prayers at large, and vttering them weakly and remisly; like riuers in a large current or spacious plaine; yet are they in their afflictions and miseries most zealous and feruent, vehement and almost violent in preferring their suits; and then their prayers like strong streames in narrow straights, issue from their troubled soules with vnresistable force, and admit of no stop and opposition. An example whereof we hauehave in the afflicted Church of Iuda, of whom it is said, that their heart cryed vntounto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Sion, let Lam. 2. 18. 19teares run downe like a riuer day and night; take thee no rest, neither let the apple of thine eie cease. Arise, cry in the night, in the beginning of the watches, poure out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord, lift vp thine hands towards him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the corners of al the streets. And the like we may see in the practiseEsa. 38. 14. of Hezechias, who when his soule was afflicted, is said in the feruency of his spirit, to hauehave chattered like a crane or swallow; and in holy Dauid, who in his greatest calamities and distresses, did make his most feruent and effectuall prayers, as we may see in many of his Psalmes.
Lastly, the example of all Gods seruants from time to§ Sect. 8. The last reason taken from the example of Gods Saints. time, who hauehave most diligently and zealously performed this duty of prayer and inuocation in their afflictions and tribulations, may serue as a strong inducement to moue and perswade vsus to follow the like practise. Thus Dauid in all his afflictions fleeth vntounto God as vntounto his rocke, castle and strong holde, by whom alone he was safeguarded from dangers; and as vntounto his deliuerer, and mighty Sauiour, who freed him out of all troubles, and plucked him out of the iawes of death. The Lord (saith hee) is my rocke and my fortresse, and he that deliuereth me, my God and my strength, in Psal. 15 2. 3. 4. 6him will I trust, my sheeld, the horne also of my saluation, and my refuge▪ I will call vponupon the Lord, which is worthy to be praised, so shall I be safe from mine enemies. The sorrowes of death compassed me, and the floods of wickednesse made me afraide, &c. But in my trouble did I call vponupon the Lord, and cryed vntounto my God. And he heard my voice out of his temple▪ and my cry did 2▪ King. 1. 2. 14. 15. & 20. 2. 3.come before him, euen into his eares. So Hezechiah when he was to be beseidged with the mighty host of Senacherib, and also when the sentence of death was by the Prophet, as Gods ambassadour, pronounced against him, resorteth vntounto God by prayer, as vntounto his onelyonly refuge. The ProphetIon. 2. 1. 2. Ionas likewise when he was in the Whales belly, prayed vntounto the Lord his God, and said, I cryed in mine affliction vntounto the Lord, and he heard me▪ out of the belly of hell cried I, and Nehem. 9. Dan. 9.thou heardest my voice. The like duety was performed by Nehemiah and Daniel when they were in captiuitie in the behalfe of themselues and of their people. So the disciples being tossed with a cruell tempest; and now ready to sink, flee vntounto Christ by prayer▪ crying ou… Lord saue vsus, we perish. AndMath. 8. 25. the Apostle Paul in the behalfe of the Collossians, prayeth vntounto God, as vntounto the onelyonly fountaine of all these gifts and graces, that hee would strengthen them with all might,Col. 1. 12. through his glorious power, vntounto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse. Neither hath this beene the practise of these few about, whom I hauehave produced for examples, but of all Gods faithfull seruants in all their distresses; and therefore the Psalmist reckoning vp a number of afflictions, wherewith the Church and people of God were tossed and turmoyled, maketh this the conclusion of all, and (as it were) the foote of his song; then they cryed vntounto the Lord in their troubles, and be deliuered them out of their distresse. But abouePsal. …07. 6. al is the example of our Sauiour Christ, who being to drinke of thi… bitter cup of most grieuous afflictions, doth powre out his soule before his Father in most feruent prayers; and as the Apostle speaketh. In the dayes of his flesh did offer vp prayers Heb. 5. 7.and supplications with strong crying and teares vntounto him, that was able to saue him from death, and was also heard in that which he feared. And therefore if he who was the deere and onelyonly sonne of God, had not those things which hee desired in the time of his afflictions, but by the meanes of frequent and hearty prayer; how shall we thinke that God will of his owne accord, without our intreating bestow vponupon vsus those gifts and graces which wee need, or send vsus deliuerance out of all our troubles? But if these examples seeme too high for our imitation, as being taken from the practise of such saints of God, who had attained to a great measure of excellencie and perfection; let vsus set before vsus the example of Manasses, who though in the time of his prosperity, he fled from God and forsooke him, committing all outragious wickednesse both against him and the whole church; yet when he was in tribulation he prayed vntounto the Lord his God, and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his Fathers, and praying vntounto him 2. Chron. 33. 12. 13.God was intreated of him, and heard his prayer and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his kingdome. Yea euen the heathen mariners though they were ignorant of God and his true religion, yet by the very light of nature they were guided to the performance of this duty in the time of their extremitie and danger, crying eueryevery man to his God for helpe and deliuerance.Ion. 1. 5. And the Niniuites likewise when they heard destructionChap. 3. 8. denounced against their citie by the Prophet of God, fasted, put on sack cloath, repented of their sinnes, and cryed mightily vntounto God. And therefore if wee would bee conformable vntounto the practise of all the saints, and our Sauiour Christ himselfe; yea if we would not be worse then Manasses, the most outragious sinner that euer obtained grace and saluation; or then the very heathens themselues, who being ignorant of the knowledge of the true God, had onelyonly the light of nature to be their guide, let vsus in all our troubles and afflictions flee vntounto God by feruent and effectuall prayers, that so wee may eyther bee deliuered from the burthen of the crosse, or hauehave strength to beare it with patience, comfort and ioy in the holy Ghost.